The Otherworlder
by Sketch
Summary: MS-fic. Ea Dinn is a normal teenager, but she finds herself sucked into the CT world. Rating for sexual innuendo and language.
1. Rude Awakenings

_**STILL IN PROGRESS AS OF JANUARY 2009**_

_Disclaimer for entire story- All the people of CT/CC do not belong to me, they are the property of Squaresoft/ SquareEnix. I'm simply borrowing them to explore one possibility in the endless dimensions and times that Squaresoft opened to us._

_One major note is that this was one of the first large fanfics I ever wrote. That being said, this story is a MARY SUE. I make no apologies (I was young and had never heard of the term), I simply ask that you read the fanfic before you flame me for this. It won't do any good, of course, as I am almost done with this story. However, I am always open to suggestions and comments. Please feel free to email me (SirLadySketch at hotmail * com ) in regards to any questions or comments you have, and as always, reviews are welcome._

_Following this note, you'll notice that the first chapters are somewhat juvenille and have a young tone. I've kept this in my latest revisions because_ _Eä is only 15 when this story starts, and 15 year olds speak differently than 25 year olds. As the story progresses and Eä matures, so does the writing and the conversations. This story matures with the character as the author herself matured. ^_~_

_Also, please note- I started this fanfic when only the SNES version of CT was out. I've tried to remain as true as possible to all versions and the sequels by adding details to compensate, but there might be a few slip-ups. If you think the slip is a major flaw, please let me know. ^_^_

_Thank you, and enjoy the story!_

**Rude Awakenings**

**Ch. 1**

"Yah! Take that, Lavos, you evil alien scum!"

Areä Dinn sat in her family room on a Saturday morning, playing her all-time favorite game, Chrono Trigger. Cyrus, her small marmalade tabby cat, opened a sleepy eye up at her from his position in her lap. It was apparent that he did not approve of the movements or noise his mistress was making, as he let out a small mew of irritation as he stretched, flexing his claws while looking innocent. Eä, however, ignored him, as victory was near at hand.

"Hah! Only one stage left! I think I'll allow Magus the honor of wiping you out, you porcupine!" Magus attacked with Darkmatter, as Crono and Glenn followed with Spire. Again and again the trio attacked, taking blows almost as quickly as they were dealing them out. For several tense minutes, it seemed like all was lost, until at last Lavos gave one last horrific screech, crumbling to his demise. Eä was ebullient, and jumped up to do a victory dance, Cyrus in tow.

"Yes! Mark that off as ending number nine, thank you very much!"

Usually, Areä Dinn was a quiet girl in high school, getting good grades and keeping to herself. She'd hoped to be an animator one day, working for a big-name company like Disney or Warner Brothers. However, after she was introduce to a certain video game by a friend, she was instantly hooked, and decided a career change was in order. She bought a copy of the game herself, playing it over and over until her characters were all maxed out, getting every side quest completed, and every high level weapon and armor she could. Her goal was to get all 10 endings, and she had one more to go.

In short, she was obsessed.

Hearing all the noise, her mother came in, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. Seeing her daughter and the cat do a rather silly victory dance in the middle of the room, she leaned against the doorframe, a slightly worried expression on her face.

"Eä, dear, I think you've played enough video games for one day. Why don't you turn off the tv, and go outside for a breath of fresh air? It's a lovely day out, and you could use the sunshine. You're pale from all the time you've spent at that game." Eä stopped her victory dance, letting a very upset Cyrus jump down to the floor.

"But Mom, I've just gotten the ninth ending! All I need to do now is have Crono go by himself to destroy Lavos, the evil, ugly, vile, grotesque-"

"Earth destroying spikey alien monster. I know. Eä, dear, turn it off and go outside. You can play again when it isn't so nice out."

"But Mom-!!"

"NOW!"

"But.... oh, alright." She went to the system and turned it off, flipping the switch for the tv as well. Her mother smiled sweetly, nodding in approval." Good. Now, get your shoes on, and find something non-game related to do. Why don't you take your sketch book out, and find something interesting to draw? You could take Cyrus with you, he's been cooped up in here with you, and he could use the exercise. Make sure you're not late for dinner, dear."

She turned and went back into the kitchen, leaving Eä to do as she'd been told. Eä muttered under her breath as she walked to her room to find shoes and a sketch book. She grumpily yanked her sneakers on and picked up her book with a pencil and eraser. Stepping back into the family room, she collected Cyrus and hefted him onto her shoulder, receiving a slight protest from the lethargic feline.

She walked towards the back door, going through the kitchen where her mother was cooking, and her father was sipping coffee while reading the newspaper. He looked up and winked.

"It's not the end of the world, Eä. I mean, the game is fun and all, but I wouldn't go up against your mother if I were you."

For this he received a well aimed swat with a wet dish cloth, making him hurriedly add, "She has too much of a point. You need to lay off the games a while."

Frowning, Eä grumbled a goodbye to her parents, making her mother cheerfully call out as she stirred the pot.

"My, aren't we in a good mood. Come back with a better attitude dear, and remember to be in time for dinner." Eä mumbled she would, and she headed out into the open air.

She decided to head towards the park, where it would be somewhat peaceful. She _had_ been on the tv all day, but still... She picked out a shady spot under one of the small park trees, and allowed Cyrus curl up in her lap again, even though it interfered with drawing. She maneuvered herself into a good position so that she could see around her and sketch while maintaining her cat upon her lap.

Over to her right were several people playing baseball, frisbee, tag, and other sports. To her left was the street and houses. Finding nothing interesting to sketch, she decided to defy her mother in the only way she could by drawing her favorite subject matter: characters from games. More specifically, Chrono Trigger. Today, she decided she'd do a sketch of Janus with Alfador. He was one of her favorite characters, both as a kid and adult. She turned to a clean sheet of paper and tried to work, blocking out any extraneous noises.

After about fifteen minutes, she'd finished the basic outline for both Janus and Alfador. She was working on adding the final touches to the cat's whiskers when a voice shouted at her.

"Hey, Look Out!"

She turned to look for the source of the disturbance, only to get smacked in the head by a stray baseball. As she began to lose consciousness, she thought irritably, '_ Dang! I bet that I ruined Alfador's face!_' She then lost all sense of time and space...

* * *

When Eä came to, she was woozy and sore. Her head throbbed with a dull ache as she opened her eyes to look for the culprit. She closed her eyes again quickly as the pain intensified to a roaring blaze of agony around the crown of her head. She remained still a minute, then slowly forced herself to sit up, keeping her eyes closed. She sat there a few more seconds holding her brow, gathering up strength to shout at the idiot who had hit her with the foul ball. She opened her sensitive eyes slowly, allowing the pain to lessen in short intervals. The scenery was all distorted, making the trees look giant and the road and houses like a large stream and waterfall.

She suddenly allowed her partially opened eyes to fly open in amazement, despite the jabs her brain was receiving. There was no one around! No one wanted to see how she felt, nor had anyone had come round to apologize for knocking her senseless! She looked around fuming, and was badly shaken when she saw why.

She was all alone, and to make matters worse, she had no idea where she was. The trees were bigger than the park trees, and there was a beautiful waterfall happily chattering away in the lovely morning light. On any other given day, she would have been enchanted, but today was not a good day for unsettling surprises. She stood up in panic, searching for any signs of life nearby. The pain that followed the sudden movement made her sink to her knees in anguish. She sat looking through tear-blurred eyes at the place that was definitely _not_ the park.

A tiny mew and nudge made her look down at Cyrus, who was sitting next to her... boots? She noticed that there had been some kind of clothing swap while she was out of it. Her sneakers, shorts, and t-shirt were gone, replaced by a short light green dress with dark green hose and light brown calf high boots to match. The boots had small daggers hidden on the inside, which she would have never known about except for the odd bulge in the fold. The outfit wasn't that bad, in fact she rather liked it. But the idea of someone else dressing her while she was lying senseless was disturbing. She leaned back against the now huge tree again and tried to gather her thoughts. She closed her eyes, which helped with the pain, and focused on taking deep breaths, which helped with the hyperventilation and rising panic.

Okay, where was she? Hm... no idea. She'd been in the mountains to camp once or twice, but those places were crowded with hundreds of other campers. It did look somewhat familiar though. Well, how about her new clothes? Who switched them, why, and where were they now? Maybe they were hiding around here somewhere to see what she would do. She opened her eyes and gingerly stood up once more.

She scanned the shrubbery nearby, checking behind her tree. All she found was a tan pack with the initials "AD", and a short broad sword. She guessed that whoever it was who dressed her up like some character in a book must like to be armed. She gripped the sword like a lifeline, thinking that she may as well arm herself against this unknown person before she found out whether he or she was friend or foe. She put the sword string over her head, and adjusted the sheath so that she'd be able to pull out the sword with relative ease. Then, she squatted down again to see if there was anything interesting in the pack, or anything that would lull her increasing lump's pain.

Inside, she found a cloak that was such a dark green, it seemed black, as well as several bottles with archaic inscriptions and an empty canteen. The latter she pulled out, walking over to the stream. She hesitated a minute, recalling all her science class discussions about how polluted the waters were. But, this wasn't home... Her raging thirst made her forget biology and fill the canteen after gulping down some water. The cool water refreshed her, easing the pain a little as she applied some to her sore.

Cyrus came over and lapped up some of the mountain water too, then once again gave his small cry requesting to be picked up. Eä sheathed the sword and gently lifted the purring cat onto her shoulder, scratching him under the chin. His booming purr made her smile a little, but ask him the question which was pressing on her mind.

"Cyrus, what is this place? Am I in the park, or am I in a hospital bed dreaming that we're here? Or, if we really are here, where the heck are we?" Cyrus trilled a small response, and leapt down off her shoulder to run off into the nearby bushes.

"Cyrus, come back here, you little brat! It could be dangerous!" She pulled on the pack and began to follow her cat as he disappeared into the foliage.

"Cyrus, come here!" She tried to catch up, but slipped on a wet stone and went sprawling face-first into the gravely dirt by the stream. She slowly began to push herself up again, wincing at the bruises she knew would form and the small cuts that stung her palms. She was halfway up when she froze at the sound of cackling laughter in front and behind her.

Glancing up, she saw an odd bird-like creature dressed up like a human. Behind her appeared a small green lizard-like being, also dressed up in clothes. The strange pair reminded her of some of the enemies in Chrono, but they couldn't be for real. These people had to be either little kids with evil senses of humor, circus rejects, or scary weirdos who enjoyed freaking people out. She stood up cautiously, and addressed the bird-thing in front of her.

"Um... Hi. Can I..help you?"

It grinned, making her even more nervous. She instinctively pulled out her sword with her left hand -it must have been some reminant instinct from those years she took fencing- which caused it to laugh haughtily. It responded, "Aye, lass, ye cen. First, hand over yer pretty toy. Then we'll decide what ter do with a lovely lady like yerself. " It laughed loudly, and the small imp-like character added in with a piping voice, "Yes, and we're not alone, so you'd better cooperate!"

Thinking quickly, Eä decided to act brave, though her insides were quaking with fear. Thoughts of all the horrible things that could happen to you if you were a girl, alone and lost, came into her mind even though she tried to ignore them. She'd have to put on an act, and just hope they'd go away.

"Yeah, well I'm not either. Cyrus!" _Hah! Like Cyrus would do anything!_ _Worth a try though._ She pointed the sword out menacingly at the two, the pair blanching; not at the sight of the raised blade, but at the name of Cyrus. The bird-thing cleared its throat after a few minutes.

"Yer... here with ... Cyrus? I think yer bluffin! An' I don't fear 'im anyways, so have 'im show 'imself. Go on, call yer 'ero." Eä gripped her sword tighter , and hoped it looked like she knew what she was doing. She'd never held, let alone used a sword- she'd only used a foil in fencing class, which was completely different in both weight and style- but she wanted to make sure that the two rogues didn't realize it. She called again, but she expected about as much of a response from Cyrus as she would get asking one of the trees for help. The two began to advance towards her, knives appearing suddenly in their hands.

"Hehe, girly, yer tryin to trick us inta lettin you go, is all. We ain't stupid, we know your trick, seen it a hundred times!" A clamorous noise rustled off in the trees, and a man came crashing through the woods towards the trio.

He was resplendently dressed; his cape was a rich purple material that caught the breeze to flutter about him, and golden armor reflecting the morning light, giving him a brilliant halo from the angle that Eä looked on from. The bandit duo of costumed freaks seemed momentarily blinded, putting their hands up to shield their eyes, while the knight- for surely that's what he was- moved in front of her, blocking her from harm's way.

The imp, recovering from shock, squeaked and ran off to hide in the bushes. The bird-thing gulped and took a few paces back, but didn't run off like his counterpart. The thing glared as the knight drew his large broadsword and held it aloft. The man's deep voice was commanding and stern.

"You wouldn't be thinking of hurting this young lady, now would you, Mystic?" Mystic? What was going on?

"Oh, course not, Sir Knight. Yer the captain, ain't ye?" The knight only smiled, and advanced toward the 'Mystic', forcing it to back up.

"I suggest, outlaw, that you run off and tell your captain Ozzie that I do not approve of Mystics trying to fight with ladies." Mystic??? Ozzie??? Outlaw??? Did that mean she was in...? No, she couldn't be. Chrono Trigger was just a game, and the year 600 didn't exist. And yet, here she was... This had to be a dream! A very, very weird dream... The outlaw made no response to the knight captain, but spat in disgust on the ground. The knight held the sword out at the mystic again.

"I'm warning you, leave now, while you can. I'm not in the mood to deal with you fools today, although I could easily put an end to your mischief if you wish to challenge me. I'm giving you a chance to leave in peace now, or end up dead with twenty arrows in your chest. It's your call."

The outlaw leapt to the side and spat out, "Wasn't worth the trouble anyways." He began running off into the safety of the woods, and the knight turned his attention to Eä. He sheathed his blade, and flipped up his helmet's visor to look down at her (she stood up to about his nose). He was obviously curious as to what a sword-wielding lady would be doing, being alone in the mountain range without proper escort. Eä looked back up at him, amazed and flattered that a stranger would come and help her.

He was kinda cute! He had a strong, slightly square face with a small nose and wisps of blonde hair sticking out from his visor. Much younger than she had originally thought; probably about twenty, if that. He didn't seem to wish her any harm, and he looked like he knew how to use the heavy metal blade strapped to his side. As she had no idea of how to control her own weapon, she decided that she could try to flirt a little to get any information she needed. Sheathing her own sword, she looked into his deep blue eyes and smiled one of her most charming smiles up at him.

"Thank you, Sir Knight. Who knows what those rouges would have done if you hadn't shown up." He smiled back with a slightly goofy grin, making him seem even younger than her estimate of twenty. Despite his size, he seemed to have the demeanor of a large dog- if you weren't on the receiving end of his sturdy blade.

"'Tis my honor, lovely maiden. But tell me, my lady, why are you in a such a place as this? And armed with such a deadly weapon?"

She opened her mouth to say another sappingly sugary sweet thing when a shuriken from nowhere whizzed past the knight's shoulder and embedded itself in her arm. She shrieked in surprise and pain, clutching her arm. She managed to cut herself even more on the sharp edged weapon doing do, but couldn't really concentrate on anything except the awful throbbing of her entire arm. The knight moved over next to her, and helped her sit down.

Bracing her with one hand, he gently pulled out the star with the other, letting her hold onto him for support as wave of dizzyness came over her. He looked worried, she noted dimly. A haze was beginning to fall over his face, and she had a terrible suspicion that the haz would probably precede a faint.

"Do you have any heals?" the knight asked, trying to keep her focused. "The stars of those miserable creatures are usually laced with a poison, so we need to get an antitoxin into you." Eä shrugged, hissing slightly at the awful throb.

"I don't know. I have a few bottles in my pack, but I'm not sure if I have any... heals." The knight searched her bag, but shook his head after only a moment of searching.

"No, there are none. But I'm sure that the men have at least one or two. No, try not to look at it." He knelt down next to her and she could see the outlaw behind him, surrounded by several men dressed in uniform with the same insignia of the knight before her on their own cloaks and helmets.

The bird-thing was dead, several arrows protruding from it's throat. She grimaced at the sight of the dead mystic and her arm, and muttered, "This has just not been my day." The knight put a friendly hand on her unhurt shoulder as the other continued to support her.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine, just stay awake. Glenn! Come with the packs, quickly!" One of the young men hurried over, a sack in his hands. He had light green hair and emerald green eyes, as well as a worried look on his face. He knelt down on the other side of Eä and dug through the packs, withdrawing two bottles. He handed one to her, indicating that she should drink. She did so, sipping it and wrinkling her nose at the bitter taste. Glenn laughed.

"I know it tastes bad, but it helps stop the poison. Here, drink this tonic, and it'll ease the pain." She took the proffered bottle, but didn't drink it. The world was beginning to spin, and she felt even sicker. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She turned to look at Glenn.

"Is this supposed to make you sleepy?" Glenn shook his head, slightly paled. He glanced at the captain whose face was grim and said decidedly, "We've got to get you to a doctor, quickly." Despite Eä's sudden second onslaught of wooziness, something clicked that made her open her eyes wide in realization. This was Glenn, also known as Frog! But who was her rescuer? She looked back at the captain as he helped her up, and a thought popped into her mind.

"Excuse me, Sir Knight, but are you...Cyrus?" The captain looked surprised, but nodded.

"I am he, my lady. I thought you knew, since you called out my name." She felt her head spin, and for the second time that day, she fainted.


	2. How To Say, I'm Not From Your World..?

How do I say I'm not from your world...?

Ch. 2

  


When she awoke, Eä found herself in a strange white room with light flooding in from the windows. She sighed contentedly, and laid back into the pillows sleepily. I must be in a hospital, she mused. The stark white walls proved it. They must have given me something to dull the pain from that stupid ball when it knocked me out- though why was in the hospital for such a stupid thing was odd. So it had been just a dream... 

She tried to turn over on her side, but a sore spot on her arm made her stop that action. She figured it was just an IV , but she choked when she saw a simple linen bandage wrapped around her forearm, slightly bloodied, and right where the shuriken had dug itself into her arm. _Oh no...._

She closed her eyes, silently saying this was no longer funny. Her thoughts of denial were interrupted when a woman with strawberry blonde hair came in humming, holding a steaming bowl and cloth. She was clothed oddly, in a reddish dress with a white apron tied on over top. She seemed oblivious to Eä for a few minutes, fussing with the curtains to allow more of the warm light onto the bed. When her eyes met Eä's, she seemed to be surprised, but happy. The woman came over to her injured arm, putting the bowl down and smiled warmly.

"Good morning Miss! Are you feeling better today? I was wondering when you'd wake up. I'm here to change your bandages, since none of the servants have much in the way of medical experience. I'm sure you wouldn't want them fixing you up, or else you might need more than this bandage!" She laughed at her little joke, and gently picked up Eä's sore arm to unwrap it. 

Eä winced as the thing was unwound, gagging when she saw the deep red line where the star had sliced through her flesh. The woman seemed unaffected though, and Eä looked up at the woman's face, trying to distract her thoughts from the grisly procedure. A conversation was in order, both to divert her thoughts from the nasty red area on her arm and to orient herself.

"Excuse me, but, um, where am I?" The woman laughed while continuing her task. Eä decided that the only way she'd faze the woman would be to grow a pair of wings or turn into some kind of monster- the lady obviously didn't think much of a girl randomly showing up, passed out and bleeding all over the place with no idea as to where she was. Eä was wondering what kind of life the woman must have led to have such a laid back personality when dealing with wounds and odd questions when she got a response.

"You're in Sir Cyrus' home, well, his home away from the castle that is. We're just half a day's ride from the town Dorino, and the mountains you see in the distance are the Denadoro mountains. I'm Cyrus' sister, Leene." With all the names and places being thrown out so carelessly into the conversation, Eä knew that her hallucination of being in the Crono world was still intact. She also realized where and when she was, and with whom she was speaking. Sitting up as best as she could, she tried to bow respectfully to the queen from her uncomfortable position.

"I-I'm so-sorry your highness! Please excuse me! I didn't know it was you!" Leene paused a minute, staring at Eä as though she had grown the aforementioned proverbial wings.

"What on earth do you mean? I'm not royalty! Please lie back down, and be still, or you'll open your wound again." Her expression of puzzlement matched Eä's, although there was also a slight look of wariness in Leene's expression. Eä looked at her, rather confused.

"Aren't you married to the King of Guardia?" Leene flushed, her expression now more embarrassed then taken aback. She busied herself with retying the gauze, trying to school her face expressionless and failing miserably. After a few tense minutes, she laughed and finished tying the bandage into a tight knot.

"I am engaged to the Prince of Guardia, but we haven't made a public announcement. How did you know? Are you from the castle, maybe? I don't recall ever seeing you there before. What's your name?" Eä sat up and gingerly pumped her arm, trying to circulate the blood. She gazed at Leene, who was staring intensely at her.

"I'm Areä Dinn, and no, I'm not from the castle. I'm not from anywhere near here, if here is where I think it is. I'm not even really sure about that though- I'm, um, not familiar with this area. Where did Cyrus find me?" Leene, curiosity temporarily appeased, walked over to large chest, pulling out a green dress similar to her own. She walked over and laid it on the bed.

"In the mountains. He was impressed by the fact that you were able to hold off those two mystics, and I think he means to talk to you about it- later, after you've finished resting and have come down. Here, these are for you, since your other clothes are somewhat... soiled." Eä hopped out of the bed and looked down at her muddy outfit with the bloody sleeve and grass-stained hose. She laughed and sat back down again. 

"Yeah, I guess they are a little dirty. Thank you, Miss Leene." Leene picked up the bowl and nodded pleasantly, obviously satisfied that her job there was done.

"Come downstairs when you're ready, Miss Dinn, and you can have some lunch. I'm sure Cyrus will be glad when I tell him you're up." She closed the door, and her footsteps faded down the hall and then the stairs. Eä got up again and dressed quickly but carefully, rather mindful of her arm. Opening the door, she looked around her surroundings in amazement. 

Cyrus' family was obviously well off by the look of their decorations. They may have lived in what seemed to be a cottage, but the expensive ornaments looked as though they would be just as fitting in a castle. She tried to go down the stairs quietly, wincing with each step's creak, and looked about when she reached the bottom. A servant spotted her, and pointed over in the direction voices were coming from. She thanked him and walked over timidly to the doorframe, somewhat at a loss of how to introduce herself to the group. She was, after all, not at all comfortable with whatever decorum was followed in the middle ages- heck, her mother was always telling her that her manners were rotten by modern standards, and people from medieval times had weird codes they followed. One false step, and they're probably think her a witch or something. Instead of making herself known to them, therefore, she snuck a peek at the door, keeping mostly out of sight.

Leene was saying something to someone about how Eä had known about her engagement to the prince. Another woman's voice rang out. 

"How do you know she's not a mystic? Or a spy of some sort?"

"No, she doesn't seem careful enough to be a spy. She seemed more confused and frightened with the mystics, so I think we can rule that out. Besides that, she seemed a simpleton, so I don't think she's much of a threat. She probably knows one of the servants in the castle, that's all." That was Cyrus' baritone voice, and Eä smiled as she remembered the gentle kindness he'd shown her, despite the somewhat unflattering response he'd given to the unknown woman. She peeped into the room again, taking in the scene. 

There were five people there; three she knew, the other two a woman and a servant. Cyrus caught sight of her, and motioned her into the room. She stepped in hesitantly, saying, "I do not wish to disturb your conversation.... I am grateful for you aid and am in your debt. If there is something I may do for you, please name it, and consider it done. However, if you want me to go, I will." Cyrus shook his head, giving her a winning smile as he seated her in a chair. 

"No, you're not disturbing us in the least, Miss- Dinn, is it?" She smiled back at him and nodded. 

"Yes, Captain, but please, everyone calls me Eä." Cyrus seemed to like this, and continued his speech.

"We were just speculating before you came down as to what you were doing to have tangled with the two mystics, why you were armed, and why you might have gone into the mountains in the first place?" He shot her a questioning look, his voice interrogating but his look soft. Mentally kicking herself for not having thought up a story to tell them before she'd come down, she scrambled for an explanation they would accept. She couldn't really tell them she'd actually seen them in a game and knew what their fates were to be without making them think she was barking mad. Then, an idea came to her, making her silently congratulate herself for her brilliance. 

"Actually, I was in the mountains looking for my cat, Cyrus. I'd found the sword and decided to return home with it when those two mystics came out of nowhere and attacked me. I called out for Cyrus- my cat Cyrus, not you- I guess hoping that he would scratch them or something. They kept trying to get ahold of me, and in the scramble to get away I think they hit me on the head. To be honest, I can't really recall anything after that..." She decided to let her voice fall off there, hoping they would take the excuse if she got a blank and slightly stupid look on her face. Her eyes flickered up to Cyrus' face, who seemed to be lost in thought. The woman next to Leene smiled. 

"Well, that answers all three questions rather well, don't you think? I'm Jessica, by the way. My brother never remembers proper etiquette, despite the fact that he's knight captain." Cyrus reddened at this, clearing his throat as he took command of the situation again.

"Sorry about that. Miss Dinn, I am Sir Cyrus, captain of the knights of the square table. My sister Leene you have already met, but you have not yet met my other sister, Jessica. She tends to criticize too much, so feel free to smile and nod when she speaks. And last but not least, my best friend and chief adversary in swordplay, Glenn." Glenn bowed slightly to Eä, and she smiled inwardly at the thought of one of Luccas' remarks. Though not as fair as Cyrus, he was good-looking too. In fact, had she not always had a thing for blue haired bad guys (especially ones with pointy ears), she would have ditched Magus immediately and favored Glenn. As it was, until she had a real good reason, she'd stick with the misunderstood warlock. 

She turned her attention back to the situation and hand, bringing a smile out again. She decided to try for some more information, and being an insipid female seemed to be doing the trick nicely. "Don't think I'm crazy or anything, but could you, ah, tell me the complete date? I mean day, month, year, everything? I can't seem to remember much of anything before I was in the mountains either..." Cyrus and Glenn seemed surprised at this, and Glenn spoke up. 

"Methinks that thou hath lost thee memory!" Cyrus quickly corrected his friend, keeping his look on Eä.

"That's 'thine' or 'thy', Glenn. But what do you mean Miss Dinn? You can remember nothing at all of your past?"

Eä decided twisting the truth a little would be her best bet- she didn't want to flat out lie, but how one earth would she explain her real situation? '_Oh yeah, see, I'm from this other future world place, and I was playing this video game with you in it! You die, Cyrus, and Glenn gets to save the world! Cool, huh?' _Mentally wincing at the absurd idea, she tried to think up something more feasible. There had been frequent attacks in the villages near the magic cave, right? If she could spin a believable tale maybe she could get their help out of sympathy, at least until she had found a way home. 

"I.. I can only remember fragments of memories- smoke and fire, shouts and blurred images. Nothing concrete, though. I know it sounds silly, but I can't even remember the way to get home- I think I got lost when I was in the woods... I just... can't seem to remember much more than running away- no places or anything. I thought I might be close to home when I saw Cyrus shortly before he ran off, but he must have followed me. I don't think the Denadoro Mountains were anywhere near home..." Here she sighed, rubbing at her eyes as though to keep away tears. Although she really was getting pretty upset at the thought of what her parents would think when she didn't show up for dinner like she'd promised, she forced herself to keep calm and try to approach the situation logically. At this rate, when she got back she'd have earned four Oscars, but for the meantime, some pity and help from the people before her would be enough. Leene spoke up, obviously moved by her act.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Dinn! You must have been in one of the recent attacks by the mystics west of here! They do keep at it, I'm afraid. But don't worry, I'm sure your family is fine, and probably wondering where you are at this very moment. As for the date, it's November 28, 589. You've been asleep for almost four days, so there's a bit of time lapse since you were last awake. If we can do anything to help you, just ask." She smiled sympathetically, but Eä grew downhearted at hearing the time she'd been out. One measly scratch- well, okay, it was more than anything she'd ever had to deal with back home, but still- and she'd conked out for four days. Her parents were probably worried sick, and she's have missed two days worth of school already. She either needed to wake up from the coma she must have been in back in her own world, or she needed to figure out how she'd been transported to this world so that she might find a way back to her own. Neither sounded very easy, however, so her spirits fell considerably. 

"I don't think you could help me in any way, Miss Leene, but thank you anyway. I'll go upstairs again and change back into my other clothes, then be on my way. I have to find my cat, since he's my only connection to home at the moment." Cyrus stood up even as she spoke, frowned, and grabbed her wrist.

"But you have no place to stay, and a lady wandering the wilds alone and unarmed is not wise. If you have taken offense to anything that was said, then I am to blame for your haste to leave. Please, you must stay here, and we will help you find your home again." She shook her head, trying to avoid his gaze. 

"No, I don't want to be a burden to you or your family. I must go. I don't want to stay where I could be a bother to anyone, let alone a leech. And please let go of me, Sir Knight." Cyrus seemed almost angry at this and blocked the escape route again. 

"I thought you were a fool to attempt to fight mystics when you obviously had no idea of what you were doing, but this is even more foolish! The only women who would dare make such a journey would not have any honor to guard, nor the morals to wish to keep themselves chaste. There are more than mystics wandering about, and they can be far worse than anything Magus could conjure up. If you think you can go face the mystics alone and injured, then you are an incompetent and silly girl!"

Leene and Jessica gasped at this remark, for it wasn't a man's place to go insulting a lady. Even Glenn seemed surprised at these words, but Eä was furious. She balled her hand into a fist and sent it into a direct contact with Cyrus' nose. It hurt a lot to hit something that hard, and she would probably have a bruise in a few hours, but for Cyrus it was probably even more painful to receive that blow- especially from an 'incompetent and silly girl'. She glared at him, nixing all previous plans that involved using Cyrus' help as she forgot that that was exactly the kind of girl she'd been trying to paint herself.

"I am no fool, and you have no right to call me one as you are a stranger to me- especially as you are supposed to be a gentleman and knight! I had heard that the knights of the middle ages were supposed to be romantic heros, not insulting louts!" Turning to look to the others, she gave a slight apologetic bow, inclining her head to each. "I'm sorry Miss Leene, Miss Jessica, and Sir Glenn, but I will not stay in a place where my intelligence is insulted, and my honor questioned. Thank you for curing me and seeing to my wound, but I must be on my way." She spun on her heel, and started to stalk off, but was halted when Cyrus grabbed her wrist again. She scowled up at him, seeing him holding a cloth to his nose in an effort to stop the bleeding. He looked as enraged as she felt, but suddenly burst out laughing, and fell back into a chair with a sigh. 

"I was not expecting such a blow from a lady, Miss Dinn, though I am first to admit that I deserved it." She shifted uncomfortably, embarrassed now- although still rather peeved.

"I'm no lady of breeding, Captain, although I have often been told I am proud enough to be one. Anyone who thinks it wise to insult my intelligence, however, is going to receive more than a pathetic whine or beg for them to take back the remark. Now, if you don't mind letting go of me, I'll be off." Cyrus let her go, but motioned her back to her seat.

"Oh, do sit down, Miss Dinn. I won't let my temper get the better of me again, and you must accept my sincerest apologies. I know now that it is now wise to anger you!"

She paused as he spoke, scanning the faces of the others. Leene looked surprised but not particularly upset that her brother had been given a bloody nose; Jessica seemed horrified at both of their lack of civilty; and Glenn looked highly amused, though who had given him more delight, she could not tell. Cyrus offered her the seat again, and she took it slowly, watching him closely as she sat. He removed the cloth showing a sore-looking but luckily not broken nose. He prodded it gently, wincing slightly, then laughed again. 

"I must say, Miss Dinn, you've surprising force behind your blow for so frail looking a lady! Are you an amazon warrior?" Eä forced herself to laugh at this, which encouraged Cyrus to speak again. "I promise not to call you anything else without first making sure that you are across the room. But, I still do not think it wise to go out when you are not even healed fully. Don't you agree Glenn?" 

Glenn nodded, and followed his response with Cyrus' point in mind. 

"T'would be folly to try to find thine cat if thou art not well enough to help him yourself. " Cyrus corrected him again.

"'Thy', Glenn, not 'thine'. Seriously Glenn, you shouldn't bother. Only the narcissistic knights use high English, and that's because they're all words and no action. But to continue my point, Miss Dinn, a lady of birth such as yourself-"

"I'm not a noble lady, so please, refrain from calling me one. I've no wish to become on either, as the only interesting thing they do is feign fainting spells every once in a while. Furthermore, I lack grace and style, and my words can get very... colorful when I'm extremely angry." Jessica responded to this almost immediately.

"Don't worry about that, dear. Leene herself is fairly klutzy, and she can make any of the knights or even a sailor blush if she gets irritated." Leene reddened at this, but held her tongue. The servant who had left earlier came in again, smiling. 

"Lunch is served!" He left as quickly as he had come in, leaving Cyrus to look at Eä almost imploringly.

"Please stay with us, Miss Dinn. I give you my oath that you will not hear anything from me again if you say you'll stay." She frowned, suspicious as to why he was so determined now to keep her in the house, but shrugged it off. If he wanted to keep her there, she may as well stay until she found a gate to send her home. No harm could come of it, and Cyrus had always seemed polite in the game. She nodded and stood up, putting a mask of uncertainness on.

"Well, I suppose I could stay for a while. Please forgive me for my actions as well. I, in turn, shall attempt to hold my own temper in check. However, while I am here, please call me Eä. I can't stand being addressed by 'Miss Dinn'. It sounds too cold for my liking." Cyrus's brightened as though she'd handed him a large present on Christmas morning. 

"You'll stay with us as long as you like, Miss-Eä. And longer, if I can help it. But over lunch, perhaps you would tell me how you learned to punch like that? Most women I know wouldn't be able to defend themselves from a mouse. I'm impressed that you knew how to hold the sword, even though it was not your own weapon. You held it very well, though it seemed like you felt like you had no idea what you were doing. That must have been to throw them off the scent of your talent."

She flushed and cast her gaze down at her feet. "Actually, that was the first time I'd ever held a sword so wide. I used to have fencing lessons, but a broadsword is a lot heavier than a foil. I'm glad it looked like I knew how to hold it."

Glenn laughed, and Cyrus interjected, "Why don't we teach you then? You could learn from the two best men in the country, because even though you're a woman, I can see that you have the instinct of a good swordsman-I mean woman." 

Leene came over and held her brother's shoulder warmly. She said softly, "Cyrus, I think she has more important things to do than to play with you and Glenn. Like look for her family and home..?" He brushed that aside, obviously intent on having a new pupil.

"We can help her look, and when we're not, we can teach her." Jessica decided to protest. 

"It's not right for a girl to learn how to fight! If she's going to stay with us, she should learn proper things a lady should know with Leene and myself, not go gallivanting out with you two hooligans. Besides, what about the knights back at the castle? How would they last without their leader there? You remember what happened last time you left them." Cyrus seemed to be downhearted with this remark, but Glenn came to his side immediately. 

"I could train her because I don't live in the castle, and I've no vows to the king other than my sworn fealty as his subject.. " Jessica scowled at being defied, and Leene tried to mediate between them.

"Why not ask Eä what she wishes to do?"

The four looked at her, and she quietly said, "I think it'd be fun to train under you two since I've heard so much about you, but I really want to find my way home again. I- miss my family, my friends, and my cat something terrible, and I want to see them again as soon as I can. Until then, I have no plans as to what I'm going to be doing." Cyrus took her hand and led her towards the dining room, grinning victoriously. A moment ago, one would have thought he was going to attack her, and now he was practically embracing her like a friend. 

"Don't worry, after lunch we'll go up to the mountains again to see if there's anything there that might help find your family or cat."

  


_After lunch, they went up to the Denadoro mountains, searching to no avail for clues as to where Cyrus might be. By the time they headed back, Eä ____had ended up in Cyrus' arms, despondently heartbroken with the lack of any trace of the cat. She had looked for any signs of a gate as well, hoping that maybe he had gone through and was waiting for her back home. But when she found nothing, reality struck and she realized that she was stuck there until who knew when. Since they didn't know what was really bothering her, they kept trying to assure her that her family would be alright. They spent the rest of the night trying to cheer her up, promising to go back again the next day. So they did, but once again found nothing._

_ Days went by, and weeks followed soon after. She was beginning to think she'd never go home again, so she decided to make the best of her situation. She'd become fast friends with Leene, helping her whenever she could. Glenn would often come to visit too, taking her out to town to go meet his friends or to escape the many lessons of Jessica on how to be a lady. Cyrus was the kindest to her, always trying to help her when she seemed down. She was rather fond of him; he acted like some of her friends back home, although at some times so adamant about her being unable to protect herself they'd gotten into squabbles that were usually ended by Leene or Glenn. _

_ Cyrus tried to be a patient teacher as well as a friend, calmly correcting anything she did wrong in their lessons. She was finally getting used to being there and getting into routine when he announced one day after practice that he had to go back to the castle, and that Leene would be joining him to get used to living there. She watched slightly teary eyed as they left the next day, and seemed to have lost hope again. Glenn came over and assured her that they would see them again around the holidays, which were coming soon. And with the new year came a danger that she had not spoken a word of to anyone. She had let a little something about the game's future slip now and then, trying to hint at the upcoming doom, but no major spoilers._ _How could she warn them all without giving herself away?_

  


_* All I have to say in my defense is this: Finals and the Flu suck, and holiday madness struck particularly hard this year. More will be out, hopefully sooner than later, and a new chapter is in process as we, er, speak. Anything you want to see happen? Email me! __SirLadySketch@hotmail.com___

_Until then, Happy Holidays! 12-30-03*_

  



	3. Battle Tactic Rule No. 1: Ignore All Dis...

Battle Tactic Rule No. 1: Ignore All Distractions Around You

Ch 3

  


  


"No, Eä! Never try to go at your opponent like that, it will leave your backside open for attack! Put your feet into position again-no, no! The _offensive_ one!" She grit her teeth and tried again. Glenn held up his sword again, signaling that she was to try to attack again. She took a deep breath, then rushed forward only to find Glenn's steel waiting. It became a test of strength, something Glenn would win hands over fist. He practically launched her backwards as he pushed against her sword, making her skid back several feet before tripping and coming down hard on her butt. She muttered irritably, filling her sentence with lots of dirty words as he helped her back up. He shook his head disapprovingly as she dusted herself off again. 

"You know all of the attacks, you just need to learn how to get speed behind them. Without speed you're as good as done for." She sneezed as the dust settled around them, then frowned when she could breathe again.

"I don't think I'm going to be going around fighting for my life anytime soon, Glenn. But shouldn't we stop now? It's getting kind of dark." He glanced up at the purpling sky and nodded.

"Yes, I suppose so. I'll write to Cyrus to see if he has any exercises he can recommend for increasing your speed. Until then, Eä, rest up. I know you'll be busy tonight because Jessica will have a fit when she sees you an will undoubtably give you a lecture on how to keep yourself clean. That can't be helped now, though, so may as well prepare yourself for the attack. I'll see you tomorrow, good night."

He picked up his sword and headed off towards his home, whistling quietly. He'd been a harder teacher to please than Cyrus, but despite this, she felt closer to him. When they weren't sparring, they would jut sit and talk of anything that popped into mind. She was reminded of some of the shyer guys in her class; sweet guys, once you could corner them in the halls long enough to talk to them. 

During these talks, Eä tried finding his view point on the mystics, going about it in the most subtle way she could. She discovered that Glenn really didn't have as strong a hatred against them as Cyrus did (Eä and Cyrus had gotten into several heated arguments about how the mystics should be viewed; he thought they should all be obliterated, while Eä just thought they should be stopped.) She even questioned Glenn about Magus once, and his reply was simple.

"He is a mighty opponent, and all who have gone up against him have perished. I think though, that if it were possible to strip him of his powers, we would be able to sleep easy at night if he was allowed to live. Until a way in which to contain his power is found, however, I think that it would be best for all if he was killed." This was something Eä had appreciated, knowing that Glenn's passive nature would come through for most occasions, including mercy on her once-favorite character. The question was, would he still feel the same way, even after Magus had killed his best friend and transformed him into a frog? 

She sat a minute, readjusting her boots and sheathing her sword, enjoying the cool evening air. The back of her neck tingled, making her frown slightly. If she didn't think she was being paranoid, she'd say she felt like she was being watched. Deciding it would be better to make sure she _was_ just being silly, she quickly scanned the shrubbery. Nothing was to be seen though, so she shrugged it off and walked towards the house. She had a lot more things to worry about than rustling bushes, like her reception from Jessica when she returned. That in itself could ruin the night's rest. She sighed, and strolled back to the house to receive her lecture on things a lady should and shouldn't do. 

  
  
  


----------------

  
The mystic cautiously peered out of the bushes as the woman turned back around to continue on her way. That foolish knight and the tomboy girl were gone, off to sleep the night away. Hah! They were in for a surprise, weren't they? Those pitiful humans, their friends and relatives would all be crushed like insects after begging for mercy from their General, Ozzie. Tonight at twelve, the fun would begin, and the girl would see just how wrong she was about her training.

---------------- 

  
Eä sighed in content as the warm water bubbled up around her sore feet. She was finally alone; Jessica, having finished her lecture on unladylike behavior, had gone to bed, leaving her free to rest peacefully. She was looking forward to tomorrow though; Jessica had some friends over and had thus told Eä to be absent for a while. Jessica didn't dislike Eä, she was more like a big sister. But she didn't like the way Eä had no patience for the dainty things a lady should be able to do, and so didn't want Eä to bother her friends who were, of course, ladies. Eä didn't mind though, that just meant she'd have less housework and more time to go to the mountains again. She didn't really expect to find Cyrus anymore, so she'd given up hope of ever seeing him again. She just hoped that some nice family had found him and taken him in... No, she returned to the mountains to just see the view, or to go reminisce on things of her past.

At first, she'd worried about what her parents were doing, if they had police out looking for her, if they spent the nights saying "if only I'd.." Those thoughts usually sent her to tears, and though there was no one watching her up on the lonely mountain, she'd forced herself to accept the idea that she might never see them again. She'd eventually grow used to it, so for the time being she'd have to be strong and satisfy herself with memories.

The way she felt tonight though, she might just sleep through Jessica's little gathering and catch up on a few winks. She began to doze off every now and then, waking up when the dying fire crackled or snapped. She woke up partially when it was out completely, and decided it would be best if she headed for bed. She got up slowly, and dumped the water outside in the garden. She couldn't help noticing though, a strange glowing was bobbing along in the forest. She peered through her sleep-clogged eyes, and found that she wasn't delusional. There was indeed, a small luminescent ball floating around the edge of the trees, which could only mean one thing: Mystics!

She stealthily made her way to Jessica's door and knocked loudly enough to wake her, but not enough to bring any attention to the house. After a few minutes, Jessica's head sleepily showed itself. The woman blinked in surprise, rubbing her eyes as she pulled a blanket closer around her shoulders.

"What is it Eä? A lady needs her beauty sleep." Eä pointed out the window at the odd occurrence.

"Mystics!" she hissed. "I'm going to go warn the others in the village, because I'm sure they're up to no good. I'll be back soon, don't worry. Just stay low and hold onto one of Cyrus' swords- just in case." 

Jessica, however, seemed horrified (at the prospect of Eä leaving to warn the others, the idea of mystics attacking, or holding a sword to protect herself, Eä couldn't really tell). She promptly fainted on the floor like any proper lady would. Sighing, Eä propped her against the door frame, then ran off to pull on her boots again. She grabbed her sword, hurriedly pulling its straps over her shoulder, and prayed that everything would be alright. Taking a quick peek out the door, she made sure the coast was clear before she snuck over to a tree. There she saw several more orbs floating in the air, just dim enough for the attackers to see where they were going. Luckily, they hadn't seemed to notice the house, and were heading straight for Dorino. But they hadn't gone through these woods like Eä had. She knew a shortcut, one Cyrus and Glenn had taken her to town on, and even though she was moving slower than they were, she might still be able to outrun them.

She dashed off in the direction she knew would be better, and started turning it into a full sprint. After about five minutes, her legs started to protest with the speed, and forced her to stop for a second. She could hear them way off to the right, where a small cliff-like riverbank would hinder their crossing. She'd have to hurry up though, they'd soon find a way over. She ran through the trees, her lungs about to burst, when she saw a light up ahead. The watch tower! She smiled and collapsed beneath a tree, gaining her breath so she could shout up to them. From behind her, noises could be heard. They weren't silent, but they were soft enough for the watch not to hear. Oh, what the heck, she thought. She scrambled to her feet again, and screamed at the top of her lungs.

"WAKE UP! The Mystics are coming!" The guards started awake, and the bell in the tower rung out, alarming the town of danger. A roar was heard as the Mystics broke cover and flooded out of the woods towards the still sleepy town. Almost immediately, several mystics came over to silence her, knowing she was responsible for the failed surprise. She really didn't want to fight anyone, but she didn't really want to end up on the wrong side of their swords either. Bracing herself for the force of their charge, she fell back as they came at her with full weight. She blocked their attacks systematically, thanking the powers that be that they weren't as fast as Cyrus or Glenn and that she hadn't been impaled immediately. 

Just then, the three who'd been coming at her dropped forward onto their knees, revealing gaping cuts in their backs. Her free hand flew to her mouth to ward off the nausea that threatened to overcome her, just as the world began to fade out and spin. She almost mimicked Jessica's faint, but a strong arm grabbed and supported her, holding her close to an armored body. As her eyes readjusted themselves, a familiar face came into view. 

"Glenn! Thank you!" He nodded, moving her out of the way as another group of mystics came over to attack. 

"You're welcome, but Eä, this is no place for a lady. Where is Jessica?" Eä helped block an attack, and watched with a queasy stomach as Glenn finished off an outlaw. 

"She's back at the house.... she fainted." He let go of her and blocked an Ogan's bruly swing, gritting his teeth as it pressed down on him. 

"Eä, go back to the house, this is no place for a woman! Make sure that Jessica is alright, and stay low. Get going!" She tried to protest, but as soon as he slew the Ogan, he ran off to join the fray. She wasn't going to leave, she couldn't. She'd try to help, but she had a bad feeling that if she even cut a mystic she'd probably black out and it'd be all over for her. Seeing an opportunity, though, she ran to the aid of a young boy who was trying to stop a mystic from entering the house he was protecting. She came up from behind and brought the broad side of her sword down on the imp's head. The mystic fell forward senseless, and the boy looked up in awe at her. She motioned him to go, and he ran in to bring forth what must have been his mother and little sister. He pushed them forward towards the bridge, and stayed behind just long enough to speak to her.

"Thank you."

She nodded to him and turned to find the source of a pitiful wailing which caught her attention amidst the screams. A little boy no older than six was trapped in an alley way between four imps. He looked terrified, and this seemed to add to the imps' delight more. They slowly advanced on him, making his cries for help even louder. Eä ran over, shoving his attackers to the side with her weight. She used their surprise to her advantage, moving to the boy's side. He instantly clung to her side, even though he'd never seen her before in his life. She laughed grimly, trying to shake him from her leg as she eyed the recovering mystics- who, of course, were blocking their exit.

"Don't worry squirt, I'll help ya." She then sent the three advancing imps into the wall with a few well-aimed kicks, making them shudder before becoming still. The fourth, mortified, ran off into the din. The kid looked up at her and smiled, then hugged her thigh tightly. 

"Thank you!" She ruffled his bright red hair, a smile coming to her face despite the horror around them. 

"Don't mention it kid. What's your name?" 

"Tom"

"Good, nice to meet you, Tom, I'm Eä. Look, can you do something for me? Run to the bridge and wait there where it's safe, okay? You'll be fine as long as you stay there. Think you can do that for me?" He nodded and ran off. She walked out into the now reddened street, and looked down as she stepped into a puddle. Blood was pooling in the streets, from the bodies of both sides. This time, she didn't even bother trying to hold back. She ducked back into the alley and was promptly sick. After she regained some of her composure, she wobbly came out again to survey the situation. Mystics had set the houses alight with balls of fire, and were terrorizing everyone they came across.

_I'll hold them off as long as I can Cyrus_, she thought, _but hurry up and get here soon_!

-------------------- 

  
"What do you mean, Dorino's been attacked??" Cyrus stood up in distress and amazement. The messenger was panting from his run throughout the castle in search of Cyrus.

"A messenger has just arrived from Truce. He said that your sister Jessica and several others fled to that town after the mystics attacked their village. They also said that the sky over Dorino looks slightly reddened, as if it were alight. Should we send troops to stop the fray?" Cyrus nodded as he jumped to his feet and began to pull on his armor. 

"Of course, immediately! You! Go wake up the men, quickly! We've got no time to delay!" The page bowed and ran out, leaving Cyrus to wrestle with his gauntlets. _E__ä, please be alright! _ He finished yanking on his equipment and ran off to see to horses being prepared. Ten minutes later, more than a hundred soldiers and fifty knights were ready to leave. The old king encouraged them off, and they rode off in a fury to try to get there before it was too late. 

They had ridden like the wind, and had gotten to the village ruins within two hours. Very little of the town was left undamaged, but several just had broken windows and/or the doors broken down with the contents spilled out and shattered on the street. But many of the little houses were smouldering from Mystic fire. Sounds of a continuing battle could be heard farther in the town, so the company rushed to aid the now dwindling forces of the town's militia. A scout ran up to Cyrus, saluted smartly, then gave his report to him.

"Many of the Mystics have been destroyed, yet the ones remaining are still fighting. Both sides have had heavy loses, but with your company here, we will soon crush them. Most of the town was able to evacuate safely enough, but many of our men have died. What do you propose we do?" Cyrus signaled some of the soldiers to the south.

"Have some men cut off the escape route for the mystics, and try pressing them towards the bridge. The citizens have been moved, and we've got reinforcements from Truce guarding it, so the mystics will be easy targets." The scout ran off into the fray to deliver his message, and Cyrus scanned the crowds for Eä, knowing the girl well enough to know she would have joined the fray out of a feeling of duty. Unable to locate her, he unsheathed his sword and then joined his comrades in the fight. 

  
Eä looked up amazed as the battle cry of the knights of the square table rang through the shattered remains of the town and into woods. 

"They made it!" She dashed over to the line of trees to see the new troops flooding in, much to the relief of the village militia and the despair of the mystic troops. She deftly blocked a clumsy blow from an Ogan, and let him feel the backside of her sword again. Several imps ran over as the lumbering creature sank to its knees, and she backed up against a tree for protection. Her arms were throbbing from the prolonged use, even though she'd drunken a tonic to heal herself. She shivered, sickened with the mass carnage and waste of life that lay before her. She was used to seeing the creatures disappear in the game, but here they remained as reminders of what had been done. She swayed slightly, making her unable to block an imp's dagger. It cut into her arm, snapping her back into attention. She angrily struck back at the imp who had dared to hit her, which surprised them enough to make the others back off. The one she'd hit fell onto its stomach, but one from behind it waddled over to try its own luck. It received the same fate as its colleague, leaving only five more to deal with. Three of them lowered their spears for a charge attack while another picked up rocks. The last one was chanting something, but she didn't stick around to hear what he was saying. 

Swinging around to the other side of her tree to avoid being run through and pelted, she gasped for breath as fatigue began to wear her down. Something red began to drip down her other arm, catching her attention and making her look down in bewilderment. She wasn't bleeding, and she looked up to see a small cloud hovering over her head. Acid Rain! She dodged out into the clearing again where the cloud dissipated. Once again, she was surrounded by imps, but this time they blocked off her escape route. They each attacked simultaneously, making it hard for her to avoid getting struck.

"Eä!" A voice broke her concentration, but made her smile as she recognized Cyrus come thundering through the smoke and confusion, laying low anyone who got in his path. She smiled at the sight of him coming to help her, but her grin quickly turned to a grimace and a shriek as a sharp pain cut through her stomach. She looked down to see a spear protruding from a gaping wound in her middle. She looked up horrified and awestruck at the imp, who gave a squeaking cry of victory. In a flash of rage, she struck out at the imp with the last of her strength, giving him the same fate she would inevitably end up with. With her last bit of remaining strength, she painfully pulled out the spear, and tossed it to the ground in disgust. As she collapsed , she could just make out Cyrus' shape killing off the rest of the imps that were huddled around the area. She could vaguely feel herself being scooped up, and reflected back happily how she'd saved a few lives that night, just before losing her own. With that in mind, she blacked out for good.

  



	4. IT'S ALIVE!!!! MWAHAHAHA!!!!

It's Alive! MWAH HAH HAH !

Ch 4

Eä gasped for breath, and sat up in surprise and fear. Where was she? She looked around to see what her afterlife would look like, but was slightly disappointed when she saw that it looked like she was in a tent. Was she supposed to spend the rest of eternity in this canvas room? She gagged as she saw around her were other bodies, bloody and barely moving. They looked like they were on the edge of death too... Wait, if they weren't dead, was she? She hopped off the cot and looked at herself. She immediately regretted it though, as a sharp pang of pain blasted through her middle, where the spear had been. She couldn't be dead, you weren't supposed to be able to feel any pain when you were dead. But if she was still alive, how did she manage that?

She could vaguely remember the night before, or whenever it had been, but she had very vivid memories of having the spear through her. She did a very unladylike thing, something Jessica would have fainted at the thought of her doing it, and lifted up her skirt so she could examine the area which had previously been occupied by the spear. All that was there now was a bruise in several very pretty colors about the size of a watermelon taking up about half of her stomach. She winced as she saw it, but carefully put down her dress with a smile. She must not be dead after all! That meant she could go see how everyone else was faring. She bent down carefully to pick up her sword, which had been cleaned and laid beneath her cot, and pulled the strap over her head. Her ears pricked up as she heard the sound of voices coming form outside the tent, so she headed out the tent flap to go see who was talking.

There were two voices, both mens' and familiar. Cyrus seemed really upset about something, and Glenn stood next to him, trying to calm him down. What happened? Surely they must know I'm alive, so it must be someone else. I hope Jessica is alright! She mused, and tiptoed over to listen to see if she might be able to console him too.

"I distracted her. If I hadn't called to her to tell her I'd help..." He sighed and put his head down. Glenn reached down to grip the captain's shoulder.

"Cyrus, she fought bravely, making both of us proud. Be glad she passed away so quickly, so she didn't feel that much pain. The whole town owes her everything for saving their lives, but I'm sure she wouldn't want you to mourn forever." Cyrus pounded his fist down on the stump he sat on angrily.

"I should have taught her how to defend under distractions! She might have had a better chance...!"

"Cyrus..."

"It's my fault!"

"Cyrus! You need to pull yourself together! You're the knight captain! Think of what this is showing to your men, and even the Mystics!" Cyrus shuddered, but didn't look up.

"But I never felt the way I did around any other woman the way I did around her... Leave me in peace."Glenn, knelt before his friend, smiling sadly.

"I could use a drink, and so could you. I'll go and get you one." He got up and headed towards where Eä was waiting, but turned around again as Cyrus called, "Glenn, make it a big one, and stiff too." Glenn smiled and continued over to the tents. He ran into Eä, then gasped while backing up. She smiled and walked towards him slowly.

"What's wrong Glenn? Didn't expect me up so soon? I'm okay though, thanks to you two and your training." Glenn, pale as his shirt, continued to back up, mouthing something but nothing coming out. Cyrus, still turned towards the fire, sighed and grumbled,

"That's not funny Glenn. I don't know how you did that, but don't toy with me." Glenn reached his friend's shoulder, grabbed it, and pointed at Eä.

"No Cyrus... Look!" Cyrus turned and looked at her. Shock and joy ran into his paled face, and he jumped up so quickly he knocked Glenn into the embers of the fire. He ran over and embraced her tightly, making her smile a bit, but gasp for air too.

"Cyrus... I can't breathe... Loosen up a bit, will ya?" He did so, but with great reluctance. His blue eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

"Areä... I thought you were dead." He moved to embrace her again but she gently pushed him away. She shook a finger at him chiding,

"Call me Eä!" Glenn, having recovered from his fall and shock, stood beside Cyrus in awe.

"But, we saw thee fall, lass! You-thou had been run clean through, and there is no way you could have survived a blow like that!" Cyrus put his arm around her, and laughed.

"But she has, and that's all that matters! You should be knighted for the service you did for the town. Ha! Sir Lady Eä!" Eä opened her mouth to respond, but a soldier came up to speak to Cyrus. "

Sir Cyrus! A band of Mystics have been-Ack!" He blanched at the sight of Eä standing there, and stammered, "A g-gh-ghost!" Eä frowned and put her hands on her hips.

"I'm not dead! Sore, but living!" Cyrus removed his arm from around Eä and helped the man stand again.

"What were you saying, private?" The soldier quaked in his boots while giving his message, never taking his eyes off of her.

"A small group of Mystics have been spotted heading back towards the magic cave, and more have been found near the camp. Should we kill them?" Cyrus shook his head.

"No, if they're retreating, let them go back to their Lord Magus and tell him of their defeat." Glenn stepped forward,

"Doth thou thinketh it wise, Cyrus?" The captain turned to his friend.

"Yes, I do thinketh it wise, Glenn. Now go private, and report any changes in the situation." The soldier saluted, and backed up, keeping his eyes on Eä. This caused him to trip over a tent spike and go sprawling onto his back. Saluting again, he picked himself up and fled the scene. Glenn chuckled at the soldier's hasty retreat, and walked over to her. "

Well, Tis good to know thou art well, lass. I still need a drink though." He nodded to her, and walked back to the tents. Cyrus motioned her to sit with him, and she chose a log near his stump. She winced as she sat down, and Cyrus took note of this, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't mean to be rude, Eä, ... but are you sure you're alright?" She laughed, and clutched her side afterwards.

"I'm okay, really Cyrus. The only traces from my little fight are sore muscles, tired feet, and a bruise sporting all the colors of a rainbow." He relaxed a bit more, and soon the two were discussing what had happened the night before. While they were exchanging news, a green imp hurried off to report back to his superiors of what had just taken place.

* * *

"Are you sure?"

The imp looked up from his prostrated position and nodded. "Yes, my Lord. She was dead, not five hours ago." Magus, reclining on his throne with his head resting on his hand, looked down at the cowering imp before him. Flea and Slash leaned against a pillar off to the side; Slash playing with his knife and Flea doing her nails. Ozzie hovered behind the throne, afraid that Magus would take his anger out on him. It had been his idea to attack the town at night, swearing the town'd never be able to stop them with the element of surprise. Magus motioned his general forward with a flick of his finger without taking his eyes off the small spy.

"You were there, Ozzie. Did you see the girl this spy is talking about?" Ozzie gulped and tried to think back quickly before the man lost his patience.

"I- I believe so... Ah, Yes! That tomboy girl in the tunic and trews. Very, _very_ pretty, but very surprising! Many of our men were knocked out by her, then destroyed by passing knights. She handled her sword well enough to be mistaken for a squire or knight, I thought. But she didn't seem to want to kill..." Magus frowned and said,

"So you didn't see her die?" He gave the spy a dagger-like look, which made the thing cower and shiver in fear on the floor. Luckily for it, Ozzie answered,

"yes, she did die. She was surrounded by some imps and was doing quite well keeping off the six until Cyrus came and distracted her. He seemed rather partial to her, but anyone would, I suppose. She was run through with a spear when he called to her. A pity, I would have liked to meet her on more personal terms..." He grinned at that, but Magus had turned back to the imp.

"How did she come back to life?" The imp got up and answering,

"I don't know, my Lord. She was carried into a tent for the wounded, announced dead, but came out this morning on her own two feet complaining about a bruise where she'd been hit, nothing else." Magus sat back on his throne, putting his two index fingers together in thought. He sat there thinking for several minutes, the tension and fear of the imp steadily growing as he lay before the Mystic ruler. At last the mighty lord motioned the imp up.

"Interesting. Keep a watch on her, and tell me if anything else happens. Alright, get out of here." The imp bowed and dashed out of the room. Flea stepped forward, making her nail file vanish in her flaming heart formation.

"What's this human girl got to do with anything? We could easily bring her back here or kill her if you wanted." Slash came over too, still flinging his blade in the air.

"Yeah, why go sneaking about when you can get up close and personal?" He caught and fingered his blade hungrily, but Magus shook his head.

"No. We need to know if there was just a freak accident that she survived, or if there was magic involved. If it was an accident, then I don't care what happens to her. But if there was magic... We must find out if it was she who cast the spell, or if it was someone else. We also should know if she's a weakness of the impenetrable captain of the guards, and what her relations with him are. If she can be used as a weapon against him, then by all means we should find out. And if she does have magic, she might be able to be turned to our side. A powerful human ally isn't always bad, as long as they're maintainable. But before we act, we must know our position in this."

"Shouldn't the spies be told this?" Ozzie decided it would be safe now to give his idea of the matter. Magus turned to him, not showing any emotions, but obviously not very happy either. In a dark voice he said,

"well then, Ozzie, I suggest you go tell them. Slash, Flea, get one or two of your men on it too. If the girl is Cyrus' weakness, then I wish to know immediately, understand?" The three bowed and quickly disappeared to go send more spies out. Ozzie had made him furious with his defeat, and it wasn't wise get him any angrier by disobeying orders. Magus waited until he was sure that they were gone, then teleported to his study, one of the few places where he could think in private. He decided to have a look at this death-defying girl, and cast a small spell to give him an image of her. A small sphere formed above his open palm, and began to crackle and spark as he continued to chant the rest of the words. As soon as he finished, he gasped slightly at the sight before him. Ozzie had been understating the girl's appearance.

A beautiful girl sat on a log, laughing while pushing away a stray lock of hair. He enlarged the picture, and saw to her left the knight captain, Cyrus. In fact, the captain was _very _close to the girl, but Magus didn't look long at him, his attention was turned to the gorgeous girl. The captain said something, and the girl gave a little pout, giving him a look which increased her appearance's loveliness even more. Magus decided to use a little more magic, and put in a few words for audio. Almost immediately, the voice of the captain could be heard.

"We were anxious when we heard that the town was attacked. The king seemed to take the news badly, but our victory will please him. I'm sure he'll want to thank you for all you did, alarming the town and saving all the people. They all owe you their lives, Eä." So, she was the one who'd ruined the attack! The girl-Eä- gave a small chuckle, but shook her head. In a soft voice, she answered,

"No Cyrus, I don't want to be recognized for anything. I'm glad I helped, but there were so many others I could have helped if not for that accident..." Cyrus put his hand on her shoulder, consolingly.

"It wasn't your fault, Eä. If it was anyone's fault, it was mine for distracting you. But you're alive, and that's all that matters right now." She gave her little pout again.

"But so many others were pointlessly killed-mystics and humans alike. I feel so guilty, I just wish I could do more..." Cyrus smiled and handed her something to drink. She took the offer with a sad smile, and downed the contents with one gulp.

"You know, I slept the best I have in months last night, but I still feel dead tired. I'm going to go take a nap- if you don't mind that is." He got to his feet and took her hand.

"No, go ahead and rest. You can stay in my tent if you wish, or one of the medic tents might have room. " She winced as she stood up, taking his hand. In response to his offer, she shook her head again with her sad smile. That must have been her actual smile, but why so sad...?

"No thanks, I'm gonna go sit under a tree so I'll be able to smell the fresh air. I hate being cooped up..." She frowned a minute, and looked about disconcerted, her eyes coming to rest directly into Magus'. Cyrus walked over to her side and studied her again.

"Eä...?" She turned and smiled again, this time a friendly and calm one.

"I'm okay, I just could have sworn it felt like we were being watched... I'm tired, so I must be imagining things. Goodnight, Cyrus." She waved and quickly walked off, leaving the captain looking about uncertainly before returning to his seat. Magus broke the image apart, and sat back thinking. There didn't seem to be anything special about her, except maybe her looks. There was just something about her, something like someone he loved long ago, with that sad smile... Maybe he'd make a house call on this enchanting lady, just to see what she was like in person. Then, he'd figure out what to do with her from there.


	5. Something Rotten

Something Rotten

Ch V

Eä didn't like being lectured by Jessica about how foolish it was to fight, how the war should be left to the men, and how the town was well enough off without her help to fend for itself. At Cyrus', Glenn's, and Jessica's insistence, a doctor was summoned to the house. After a half an hour struggle to keep Eä from dashing off, they finally got her still enough for the doctor to take a quick check to make sure everything was running smoothly. Fifteen minutes, a swollen lip, and a fist sized bruise later, the doctor announced that she was as fine as a hurricane just come from a tropical sea.

After giving Cyrus something to stop the bleeding from his lip, the doctor left the bunch muttering about how he should charge more for disagreeable cases like her, and that he had no idea why half the townsmen had fallen for the girl. Glenn didn't seem to be very happy with his new shiner, Jessica threatened to keep her under lock and key until she behaved like a lady, and Cyrus was attempting to get Eä to talk to him. But she refused, saying she wouldn't talk to a "jerk who sends bloodsucking doctors " after her. He seemed as irritated with that response as she was when she had spoken it, and for a day or so they wouldn't even glance at each other. When Eä tried to leave with Glenn for practice after apologizing for his new look, Jessica got enraged and blocked the way.

"I will not keep a wild woman under my roof! I refuse to let you go off picking up bad habits from the boys when there are so many things here you could help with!" Eä frowned and pouted.

"You sound like you're my mother! Besides, you said that I shouldn't try to help anymore, because I was too restless to do anything right." Jessica stamped her foot impatiently.

"I need you here so you can help with the people who are without homes! Besides, they could help calm you down to a sensible level of energy for a young girl like you." Eä frowned just as irritated.

"But I can't cook, my cleaning skills are lower than Cyrus', and you've told me time and again that the laundry I try to do ends up in worse shape after I've attempted to clean it! You've told me time and again, don't come and try to help! I'll just ruin things even more, and you've no patience for someone like me!" Jessica put her hands on her hips, shaking her head as Eä frowned at her.

"I am ordering you to do something sensible for once, and even if you can't do it by yourself, get someone around here to help you! We're all too busy to let you go out and gallivant while we work here! If you don't like that, you can go fend for yourself!" Eä pouted again, then brightened.

"Okay! I'm outta here! I'll leave you the money I have, then I'll go up into the mountains to find my way home! Thanks for everything! Bye!" Jessica stood amazed as Eä dashed out of sight, and returned dressed in her old green tunic/dress with her pack strapped to her waist and her sword's strap around her shoulders. Jessica raised an eyebrow.

"Where are you going?" Eä shrugged, grinned, and put down a pouch of coins.

"I dunno. Wherever my feet take me, I guess- that is, after I've checked the mountains for a gate again. I'm really glad I got to meet you people in the flesh, but I'll try to figure out how to go home now, and you won't have to be bothered by a leech like me. Tell Cyrus that I-"

"Love me beyond the reaches of the world? But Eä, I already know that! Hey, what's with the packs? You going somewhere, Sir Lady?" He cocked a grin at her, but stopped as she nodded.

"Mhmm. I'm going to try to go home." He rubbed his head in an exasperated way, rolling his eyes.

"Again?" She flushed and wagged an angry finger at him.

"Yes again! And this time, I'm leaving for good!" Cyrus smiled and laughed.

"Did Jessica insult your cooking again? Or are you just going to get out of chores?" Eä practically growled her response.

"No, I'm leaving because I've outstayed my welcome and I do not wish to be a burden on your family. Don't worry about me, I'm bound to find a gate sooner or later-even though you have no idea as to what I mean by that right now, you'll find out later. Thank you for everything Cyrus, but I really need to be going now." She tried to squeeze past him through the doorway, but he shook his head and laughed.

"Miss Areä Dinn, you sure do beat all. Oh come on, drop your things and come out to practice. I've got a new strike I wanted to show you, and I -"

"Sir Cyrus! A letter just arrived from your sister Leene, and one also from King Guardia! It is urgent, so we ran here as fast as we could!" The panting man handed the letter over to Cyrus, and took a seat that Jessica offered him appreciatively. She reflected the smile he gave to her, making the man's smile spread, Jessica blush, and Eä give an exasperated sigh. Cyrus looked over the letter and chuckled.

"Well, it seems that the important and urgent message in this letter was that our Good King Robert cordially invites us to a dinner, and he says things are good at the castle, he's pleased with the victory of the battlefield, and he wishes you to join us too, Miss Dinn." He glanced over at Eä, who looked flustered. In a small voice that almost-made-him-laugh-except-he-knew-better-not-to she managed out,

"the king wants to see me? Why?" He grinned and pulled off her sword scabbard from her back.

"I'm sure he wishes to thank you in person. So you can't leave, can you?" She frowned and pushed him lightly in the shoulder.

"Don't sound so happy about it, buster. As soon as I've met the King and heard what he's got to say, I really do need to go. I can't stay here any longer." He frowned and turned to Jessica, who had continued to flirt with the knight the whole time.

"Jessica." She looked up and smiled goofily.

"Yes Cyrus?" He tried to hide his laughter and continued,

"when we get back from the castle, will you help me keep Miss Dinn here?" Jessica looked startled, and gazed at Eä.

"You mean you weren't kidding? And here I thought you were just threatening again! No, Eä, you can't go! Who'd keep me company here? Who could I treat as my little sister now that my real sister is gone to her Prince? No, you can't leave me here alone!" Cyrus came up from behind and put an arm around Eä's shoulders, making her blush and forcing her to smile at Cyrus' actions.

"No, we'll keep her here yet. But come now, Miss Dinn, surely you'll stay with us a bit longer?" Eä put her hand up on Cyrus' head and pushed him off gently.

"Depends on how you behave, doesn't it? I might consider a few more days, but I really need to start some more intensive searching than an occasional rendezvous. We'll just see how the visit goes, and we'll wing it from there, k? Now give me back my sword." He handed it over and then turned to Jessica, who was in the process of feeding and talking with the knight. Eä walked over and sighed.

"Alright then, Jessica. It looks like you've got my services for a few more days. Where do you want me to start. " Jessica looked up and waved her aside.

"Can't you see that I'm busy right now Eä? Go out and play with Cyrus or Glenn for a while, I'll hold down the fort. What were you saying, Martin?"

* * *

Several days later, Cyrus, Eä, Jessica, Glenn and a group of soldiers started the half a day ride to the castle. Jessica sat on her horse, merrily chatting away with her knight friend, whom she had gotten to know in a very short time period. Eä, however, was not doing so well. She'd only ridden a horse once before, and that hadn't even really been a horse. It was when she was three years old and she had sat on a pony while being led around in a tiny circle with someone supporting her back. Since then she had always admired horses from a distance, and never got much closer than a passing car did to a corralled mare. Now, riding with Cyrus and Glenn close at hand, she sat rigid on her saddle. To make things worse, she had to ride side-saddle, an experience she soon decided she could go without. Every time she began to lean dangerously on one side, whoever's side she leaned towards would help push her back into position.

To pass time and take everyone's minds off things, a soldier started a military song about saving the country for one's family. It was hard for him, because even though he had a faire voice, the rocky terrain jolted him and bounced him about whilst he attempted to get the notes right. Several men also tried joining in, but with Glenn's soft voice and Cyrus' off-key melody, the attempts to keep a song going soon died. It wasn't that long though before they reached the woods, and the men had to be on the lookout for any mystics that were about. Glancing about, she spotted a mystic that looked like a giant mushroom. Cyrus ignored it because it made no moves to attack; in fact it sounded like it was snoring. She recalled that they were fairly easy to kill in the game, even at level zero. She gripped the saddle even tighter and prayed that nothing would spook her horse. They passed through uneventfully though, and quickly reached the castle steps where she practically jumped off the saddle to the amusement of Cyrus and Glenn. Glenn came over and patted her horse,

"surely riding a horse isn't that bad, Miss Dinn?" She pet the horse softly on the nose, and rubbed behind its ears.

"It wasn't the horse's fault, it was that saddle. It's the most uncomfortable thing I've ever had to sit on in my life, and I hope I never have to ride like that again." Glen laughed and followed the others up the stairs as Eä gave her steed a goodbye pat. "Thanks for putting up with me." She turned to go, and heard a light chuckle.

-_Don't mention it, dearie-._ Eä spun around expecting to see Cyrus there, but only saw the horse being led away by a squire. She frowned and looked about, searching for the culprit. She continued looking about confused until Glenn called down to her.

"Eä, come on! Leene and Richard are waiting to see you!" She shrugged, and followed the green haired man up the stairs. As she passed through the giant doors, she gasped at the sight before her. An enormous main hallway was lit with torches, the assembled knights' armors all sparkling in the red light. Purple tapestries with yellow borders hung around the room, written in the cryptic Guardian language. At the center of the top of the steps stood Leene, truly looking like princess in her white gown. She was giving her older brother a hug and saying how glad she was to see him at last, and how glad she was that he was alright. Then, she looked down at Eä and smiled even more. She ran down to embrace her friend and looked overjoyed.

"I was afraid that you wouldn't come! Cyrus said that you threatened to leave before our wedding! You couldn't really leave us altogether, now could you Eä? Don't say anything, we'll talk about it over lunch. I've got a nice table set up on the balcony; it's so sunny up there it feels warm. It's also right outside the ballroom, so you can see where our reception is going to be. Come on, Richard's going to meet us there!" She acted like a school girl as she led them all quickly past the throne room and into a set of corridors that Eä could have sworn weren't there in the game.

They traveled up another flight of stairs and past several long hallways, until finally they came to a gigantic domed room with columns, oil paintings, and expansive glass windows. It was the most beautiful room Eä had ever seen, and she paused to gaze stupidly at it for a few minutes before Leene pulled at her sleeve.

"I know it's big, that's how I felt the first time I saw it. But lunch is almost ready, and even though it doesn't look like Richard is there right now, I'm sure he'll be joining us soon. Come on." Eä followed behind her friend and smiled in delight as she saw the table set for six. Cyrus seated Leene next to Jessica and the empty spot, while Glenn stood up to seat Eä. Then they all sat down and Leene broke into a happy burst of gossip, news and plans with Jessica. Cyrus and Glenn attempted to be gentlemen by paying attention for a while, but soon fell into a discussion about the war situations. Eä sipped her water, not having much to say in either conversation. Her attention soon turned to the garden below, with its twisted trees and topiaries looking somewhat forgotten in the cold landscape. A servant soon came out, and told them that lunch was on its way up. When Leene asked about her fiancee, the servant said that he was sorry, but was tied up with some trade business and was unable to join them for lunch. Leene turned to Eä and started to talk quickly again.

"So, is it true, what I've heard? That you were the one who sounded the alarm? I was so afraid for all of you when I heard the news, and I'm so glad you're alright!" Eä shrugged slightly, and just said,

"I just woke up the guardsmen, they were the ones who alarmed the town. " Leene giggled and picked up her glass, but then put it down again as someone came in with the trays.

"Oh, I'm sure you're just too modest, and that you were a true knightess! Look, here's lunch! And I told them to have a salad for you Eä, since you wouldn't like the fish." The plates were put down before them, and Eä smiled appreciatively to the man who served her. He looked rather odd, his eyes sharp and his nose rather like an outlaw's. He quickly bowed telling them to enjoy their meals and hurried off, an odd smile on his face. Leene picked up her fork and knife, and daintily cut away a piece of her fish. Eä looked hard, and could have sworn the fish looked bad. Glancing at the juices of the meat, she saw to her disgust that they seemed yellow and orange-definitely not normal fish colors. As Leene began to pop the piece into her mouth, Eä suddenly decided to warn her.

"Wait Leene, don't eat that!" Leene dropped her fork in surprise, making some of the sauces splatter out onto the table. She quickly wiped up some splatters, then looked at Eä.

"Eww... Eä, what's all this about? I don't see anything wrong with my fish, I've had it before, and it's fine." Jessica helped clean away the rest of the spills, while speaking reproachfully at Eä.

"Really, what's the matter Eä? Just because you don't eat fish doesn't mean that Leene can't. There's nothing wrong with not eating meat, just don't try to force your odd ideals onto Leene." Eä shook her head and examined the fish again.

"No, I swear, look! There are odd colors in the juices! They don't look normal, and even the fish has an odd smell to it. I know this is the castle's cooking I'm talking about, but it doesn't look safe. I just don't think you should eat it." Leene giggled again, and cut off another piece.

"Oh, no, Eä! Those are just the spices used to color and flavor the dish! I've had it hundreds of times, and it's always been good! Don't worry, it's fine!" Cyrus, Glenn, and Jessica also cut off a piece to show her that their meals were the same color, and even as Eä looked at her greens, the same oily orange substance seemed to cover her salad. She wasn't completely convinced, but she shrugged and laughed anyway.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Sorry, it just looked odd, that's all. Go ahead and eat it, I'm sorry for disturbing you." Leene smiled showing there were no hard feelings, and picked up her piece of fish again. With all eyes on her, she dropped her hand down again.

"Really, you know, it's alright! I swear it! I've had it hundreds of times! It's not like it's poisoned or anything! Go ahead and start!" The others began to cut a piece, Eä speared a leaf, and Leene lifted her fork once again. She almost had it her mouth when another page came in shouting,

"don't eat the meals! There's been a mystic in the kitchens! They're poisoned! The taster is dead!" Leene once again dropped her fork, sending more of the sauce splashing about on the table. This time however, they didn't even bother trying top clean up the mess, but were gawking in awe and surprise from the servant to Eä, who was as shocked as everyone else. The servant ran over to take the plates away, but Cyrus was up and standing, and the man was soon dangling in Cyrus' grip.

"WHAT? WHERE is this Mystic who tried to poison us? Is the King alright, and the Prince?" Have they caught the mystic? Talk Man!" The man gasped,

"the Prince is with the mystic now, who is being held for you to question. The king had been notified before he had eaten anything, but a doctor has been sent to watch over him just in case. I came to get you, Sir Cyrus, and to take away the dishes. We don't know where the poison is exactly, but until we do, I think it best if you would all go to the hospital ward to see a medic right away. The poison hasn't been identified, and seems to take a while to take affect. Please follow-"

"YOU MEAN THAT IF WE HAD ANYTHING TO EAT WE'RE GOING TO DIE? Oh my God, I feel faint...", and Jessica promptly fell into Glenn's arms. Had the situation been any different , Eä would have laughed herself silly. Jessica had fainted in just the way she had instructed Eä before in their lessons on how to be a lady. Glenn put her on the chair while Leene fanned her sister,

"Jessica, no one ate anything..." But Eä walked over to Cyrus' arm and gently put her hand on his shoulder. "Cyrus, what if it was on the glasses? Or the silverware?"

He shook his head and said, "don't worry. The mystics wouldn't have thought of doing that. Besides, no one drank anything, right...?" She paled and whispered,

"I did." He spun around and held her by the arms.

"What? How are you? Do you feel alright? Why didn't you say anything?" She smiled and pulled away, but the effort made her stagger back, and she righted herself on a chair. The world was going fuzzy, and she frowned with her sudden attack of a massive migraine. She tried to sit down, but she couldn't see that well so she almost missed the chair , but ended up somehow in Cyrus' arms. She heard several voices that sounded like they were far away. "No, don't die on me yet! You have to pull through!"

"Eä, hang on, just a little bit longer."

"Get a doctor, quickly!"

"Horrid Ball!" Eä wondered what a ball had anything to do with poison, but her trail of thought was soon interrupted by another violent wave of pain, forcing her into complete unconsciousness.

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Cyrus sped down the twisted halls, faster than he had ever gone before, with Eä's crumpled form in his arms and Glenn with some soldiers trailing behind. His only comfort was that she was alive, in fact, he knew she was alive due to her mumbling and feeble attempts to turn on either side. Some of the things he could make out were names; some familiar, like Leene, Glenn, and himself. She muttered some things about them, but soon her rambling's turned to a darker name; that of Magus. She kept saying something about Magus, himself, Glenn, some kid named Crono, a sword called Masamune, and frogs. What the frogs had to do with it, he had no idea, but she kept crying that Glenn should pity a girl named Janice who had apparently gone through a tough childhood, and the way the girl had turned out wasn't Janice's own fault.

When she had begun to quiet down and stop moving, Cyrus sped up even faster towards the hospital ward. He needed to get her to a doctor immediately, her normally pale face reaching a deathly white level quickly, and her pained breaths becoming even shallower and more infrequent. If she were to die, this time for real... He didn't know what he'd do. He couldn't lose her, not now, not yet. He began to think back to the odd occurrence back at camp, and wondered if she would happen to be pronounced dead then awaken again, when a somewhat nervous giggle distracted him.

"Umm...Cyrus? What are you doing? Put me down!" He gasped and almost dropped her, but she quickly clasped her arms around his neck. "Ack! Not that quickly!" He caught her again, and set her on her feet, where she immediately began fussing with her dress. Despite her efforts, Cyrus could see her face reddening with all the attention set on her. Cyrus tried coaxing her forward to continue towards the ward without letting her try to escape like last time.

"We don't know how long you'll be able to walk or stand or even stay awake, Eä. We've got to get you to see the doctor. You're likely to fall over again any minute" He tried pulling her arm gently, leading her towards the wing, but she broke out of his grasp, shaking her head and laughing.

"No, no, really, I'm fine! As Jessica would have it, I just had a lady's fainting spell- My God, I'm sooo embarrassed...!" She put her face in her hands, and laughed again, but looked up when no one else seemed to be laughing. "What?" The men in back of Cyrus seemed horrified and almost as pale as her.

"Why are you all looking at me like that? I hate it, it's like you think I'm mad or something! You look just like you did when I woke up in camp!" Glenn spoke up, but his voice was straining.

"You... seem to have recovered very quickly , Miss Dinn . Less than ten minutes ago you were writhing on the floor in pain, now you're up and cheerful." She shrugged and answered,

"I feel fine now, I didn't drink that much water, so I'm fine. Really." Cyrus shook his head and advanced towards her again.

"No, Miss Dinn, you've recovered from death too quickly again, and I don't think you should be allowed to wander about just yet. Follow me, you're going to the doctor." She backed up again as he tried to push her along, and she shook her head fiercely.

"No Cyrus, I'm FINE! I-Stop It! Hey, Lemme go!" She shrieked this as Cyrus grabbed her wrist, hoisted her over his shoulder and carried her like a fireman the rest of the way, holding onto her firmly as she struggled to get loose. The soldiers followed closely behind, in amazement and fright with the girl who seemed to have escaped death, not once but twice. When they got into the infirmary, Cyrus ordered them to keep the door blocked, no matter what. The doctor raised an eyebrow at the sight of the girl straining under the captain's firm grip on her shoulders. Though the captain insisted that he examine her thoroughly, the man did little more than take her pulse, listen to her heart, and test her reflexes. He shrugged and told the captain to let her go, proclaiming,

"You're as fit as any I've ever seen, and in better shape than others. The poison-if you had any at all- seems to have had no effect on you at all. Everything sounds normal, is responding quickly, and she has normal temperature. You're fine, I think you might have fainted with the scare of being poisoned. It's amazing what those mystics will do nowadays... I'll let you go, but get some rest my dear. You'll be fine in a bit. Rest assured, the only thing you suffer from is ill humor."

"I could have told you that!" She snapped at Cyrus, and swiftly pressed her way through the guards and out into the hall. Cyrus watched her retreating form almost despondently.

'There goes another week of her refusing to even acknowledge me'. He was brought out of his thoughts when the doctor tapped him on the shoulder, motioning him to follow him back into the room. The old man shut the door, and talked as he picked up his equipment.

"Sir Cyrus, that girl is... very unique." Cyrus attempted to say that he already knew that, but the man shook his head.

"That's not what I mean, boy. I've never seen anything like her before, in all my long years of practice. I've treated both humans and Mystics before the war broke out, and none of the mystics would be able to survive a naga-ette's brew of poison, even if they too were naga-ettes. The poison is extremely deadly, though it takes a while to take effect, and no one has ever been known to survive. It would be best if you kept an eye on her, and I don't just mean until this incident smooths over. Though it sounds and looks like nothing can harm her in anyway, remember not all injuries are caused by weapons. Rumors hurt just as much as an arrow, sometimes more. And there are definitely going to be some nasty rumors after today's incidents mixing with the rumors circulating around the town. Just protect her as best you can; you've got an extraordinary lady, Sir Cyrus." Cyrus nodded, opened the door, and stepped out into the hallway. The soldiers who had been watching the entrance for him stood talking in a huddle, but his attention was not on them. Eä stood down the hall talking with Leene, Jessica, Glenn and Prince Robert. A messenger ran up from behind him, panting and crying at the same time. The tears poured out of his shining eyes as he delivered his dreadful message.

"Oh, Sir Cyrus! The King.. He's dead, my lord! Poisoned!"

* * *

_singing Ding Dong, the King is dead- Which old King? The Guardian King! Ding Dong, The Guardian Kings is deaaaaaaad! Okay, maybe I shouldn't be making this a joke... THANK YOU! I HAVE ONE REVIEW! I LOVE YOU!... Well, maybe not really, sorry, but, thank you for reviewing- it lets me know someone else besides me and the editors I have chained to the chair are reading this.. R/R!_


	6. Violent Measures

Violent Measures

Ch VI

The death of the king took a heavy toll on the entire kingdom. The flags were lowered, the fires dim, even the gossip died down a bit and lamentation was the only thing spoken on the street. Eä hadn't even met him yet, and he had been so eager to meet her! She felt awful, considering that he had tried so hard to make sure that the army and the people were alright, and now the kingdom seemed to have stopped breathing. Richard took the death of his father hard; speaking, eating, and sleeping very little. Leene remained at his side constantly, coaxing him to do the little he did. The chancellor had taken up the duty of running the kingdom, and the coronation date had been pushed forward, along with the wedding date. Though the mourning was still in effect, the kingdom pushed itself to its limits, trying to prepare for the fast approaching events. But while the kingdom was trying to put on a happy face, the knights were still busy fending off the mystics who had decided that the death of the king meant the breakup of the kingdom.

Though the war seemed to have doubled in intensity overnight, the knights continued to keep the enemies at bay. Cyrus, however, did not join his men out on the battlefield. Instead, he cooped himself up in the library; a vast ancient room in the castle filled with dusty texts and volumes in the Guardian symbols. He seemed as distant as Richard, but he would allow Eä or Glenn to provide him with his lunch or dinner, thanking them quietly before turning his attention back to the books. When Eä asked him what he was searching for, he simply gave her a quick hug and stated, "a solution to the kingdom's problems." He would then speak no more, and Eä soon let her inquiring stop, knowing that he'd let them know once he had found his answer.

After the original allotted time frame for their visit had come and gone, Jessica finally announced to Eä that they would be staying in the castle, "for Leene's sake as much as for Richard's. Besides, there are plenty of people back in the village that could look over things back home for a while, and I'm-we're needed here, but I can take care of things by myself. Go ahead and enjoy yourself, make Glenn show you the town. You could both use the time to relax, I know the last month hasn't been exactly restful. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine!" That was promptly after her knight friend, "Martin", had invited her to accompany him on a tour around the castle, and Jessica was practically throwing Eä out the door to do something other than bother them. Thanks to Glenn, she had had plenty to do, from polishing her sword to practicing almost impossible techniques. He pushed her to the point that she would rather have undergone one of Jessica's lady lessons, except that Jessica suddenly had no free time to correct Eä's manners.

So, Eä went over and pestered Glenn until he finally agreed to take her out on a walk around the woods. At first he refused, saying, "Eä, I've too much to do to take thee for walks. Take thyself for a walk, I need to practice the new 'leapslash' technique Cyrus has invented. Go wander about the castle for a while if thou art bored, or thou can spar with me." She shook her head and pulled him to his feet.

"No, Glenn, there's nothing to do here, and I don't want to learn any new techniques today! There are way too many people about for one to do anything fun, and since Cyrus has become a hermit amongst the books, no one else but you will talk to me. Pleeeeeaaaaaasssssseeee?" He finally succumbed to her pleading, but he didn't want to leave the castle for too long.

They walked about for some time, stopping every once in a while to take in the splendor of the brisk air. They had come to a clearing for a another stop when Glenn said softly, "Eä." She turned around and gasped as his blade narrowly missed her head, coming to press down on her own broadsword. She frowned and stepped away.

"Hey, what gives? You said no practicing!" He shrugged, replacing his blade into its sheath. He grinned and answered, "opportunity knocked, so I had to." She growled and charged.

"I'll give you an opportunity!" He laughed and sidestepped bringing out his sword again with lightning speed, locking swords and pressing down on his blade. It became a matter of strength, and Glenn soon used his advantage. He flipped up the blades and sent hers into a log to the side of the clearing. She grumpily took the hand he offered, muttering, "I don't like sparring with you. You're too random for me, and always find a way to catch me off guard." He laughed and pulled her imbedded sword out of the rotting stump it had been flung into. Handing it back to her, he smiled.

"Tis better to be random, lass. The enemy won't know what to expect and you'll have the advantage of almost always coming out of the battle successfully. It gives thee the upper hand."

"Oh, and you'd know all about that, wouldn't you Glenn?" A few lower ranking soldiers stood behind the audacious trooper, who smiled almost as if he had caught them in the middle of committing a crime. Glenn scowled, his knuckles slightly white from the grasp he held his sword pommel in.

"What are you doing here,Simmons? Did Cyrus kick you out of practice again, or are all the bars closed?" He growled and stood tensely facing the man who had interrupted his lesson. Simmons laughed and advanced.

"The only reason you're allowed to practice with the knights is because you're Cyrus' old buddy, and he couldn't hurt an old mate's feelings, now could he? He just feels sorry for you, you green haired softy, and he lets you play with the knights so you won't get hurt on the battle field." Glenn flinched slightly, but Eä was irate.

"You jerk, obviously you've never gone up against Glenn! He's the best swordsman there is, even better than Cyrus in some ways, and Cyrus allows him to practice with the knights to keep them in shape. But obviously you've never gotten to spar with the knights, because if you were knight material, you would have more manners and back your words with actions. I think it's obvious that you're just a coward, and attack Glenn only when you're too inebriated to think wisely. Get out of here now you drunkard, before you pass out on the ground!" The soldier wasn't expecting this, and turned his full gaze to Eä as if he hadn't seen her there before. He looked her over, and let out a bellowing laugh.

"Harharharharhar! Good to see you too, Miss Dinn. So Glenn, because you can't be the knight captain, you've decided to try out his girl, is that it? Or did Miss save-the day-Dinn decide to drop her captain for someone a bit weaker like herself? Is that it, our loving captain was too rough for you? Or wasn't he good enough for you? Going to try your luck with Prince Richard after you've finished with the captain?" Glenn was offended and shocked that the man would dare state such a thing, and pointed his sword at the man.

"You fool, you're so drunk you've muddled your wits and will say anything that pops into your head. Get out of here, the very words you speak could end up getting you strung from the nearest tree. If you dare speak of the prince, Cyrus, or Miss Dinn like that again, I swear I'll-"

"You'll what? Kill me? Oh, I'm afraid! Don't mind him, my 'lady'. Tell us, which was correct? Come now, you can be honest with us, we'll all understand your response." Glenn might have been peeved, but Eä was livid. Grabbing her sword again, she charged at the man, swinging her blade madly. Though intoxicated, the man was surprisingly agile and quick to react in his state. He dodged the poorly executed charge and sent her flying against a tree with a shove. He then walked over to stand victoriously over her as she pushed herself up.

"Oh, I seem to have struck home with that one. Tell me, when you've finished corrupting the kingdom, will you keep going, or will you just go back to your master? I'd really like to know your tactics 'lady', so that I might come out alive in the end." She didn't follow his train of thought with that one, but she jumped up all the same, kneeing him below his belt.

"You sicko, go find a horse trough to go water yourself down! You're making no sense, and I'm sick of hearing your bantering. Get out of here now before I do something worse." He doubled over, and several of his buddies came over to help him up, avoiding Eä warily. Despite his obvious pain, he grinned maliciously, then put a look of pity on his face.

"Oh, I bet it wasn't that at all, was it? Cyrus found someone else just as pretty but better tempered and cheaper, is that it? Oh, I'm so sorry, Miss Dinn, I had no idea. My apologies on bringing up such a painful subject. That kinda ruins your plan though, doesn't it? I mean, if the captain is unwilling to deal with your little quirks anymore, how are you going to fulfill your mission? Won't your master be disappointed when he finds out that you weren't able to conquer the great Cyrus?" Glenn stepped in front of Eä, shielding her from view of the bullies.

"What the hell do you think you're saying, Simmons? Cyrus will have you quartered if he hears what you just said! Turn around, lest you wish to have a taste of my blade, and leave at once. If thou art suggesting what I think you are, then stop believing it. Miss Dinn is no more Mystic than I am, and she would never serve _Him_." Simmons pointed a finger over at her menacingly.

"If that woman isn't a mystic, than I am! She's a freak, and she should be destroyed by having a stake driven through her heart. Or being tied to a stake and being burned. Those are the only ways to kill a witch, and I suggest we do it now while she's defenseless." He suddenly pulled a wooden spike from under his uniform, and threw it at her. She shrieked and braced herself for impact. An odd tingling feeling spread through her, making her feel as if her whole body had fallen asleep, and was just waking up. She cried out,

"I'm no mystic you fool, and I never will be! Leave me alone!" Not knowing what she was doing, she held out her hand and a white beam of light shot out from her palm at such a force that she was pushed back against the tree again. The light beam sped with lightning speed towards the stunned soldier, burning the pike and continuing on towards the stricken man. But he ducked just in time as the ray flew over his head and turned the tree in back of him into a pile of white cinders. Silence as the men and Glenn stared at her as she looked on as horrified as the rest, first at the tree, then at her fingers, white with fear. Then, Simmons' cruel cackle rang out above the tress.

"You've just made your fatal mistake, girl. I'll enjoy watching you sizzle on the bonfire! You two, come with me to get Sir Cyrus and some knights. You two, guard them and see that they don't try to escape. That was a very stupid thing to do, with witnesses all about. Not even your beloved Cyrus can stop you from cooking now!" He sneered at her, then ran off with two others to go and get Cyrus. Eä walked over to the collapsed tree in awe, then sunk to the ground. She scooped up a fistful of the ash, and sifted it through her fingers, which still tingled with the odd sensation. So... had that been magic? And if so, what kind? How did she end up with magic, when there wasn't really such a thing where she came from? It didn't really matter now, she was as good as skewered.

She looked over at Glenn, who was sitting down on a stump, looking rather shaken and chugging down something in a small flask. She stood up again, cautiously watching the two terrified guards. She allowed the rest of the silt to slide form her fingers, and she walked over to go sit down. She turned and faced the woods to worry about what the future held in store for her, or if there would even BE a future. She sat there feeling sorry for herself, but turned about as she heard two thuds. There on the ground, the two guards lay, apparently having fainted. When she looked up to see why they had toppled over, she almost fainted herself. There, where the young tree had been, was a rapidly growing sapling, reaching the height the old tree had been before stopping its weird growth spurt. Eä stood gaping a minute, then looked back at Glenn., who had his head in his hands. She timidly walked over to him, and whispered,

"Glenn? What just happened? How did I do that? Do you hate me now?" He looked up, his face oddly contorted.

"What do you mean, 'how did you do what?'" She frowned and pointed over at the newly replaced tree.

"That! How did I torch the tree, and yet a replacement came and took it's spot?" He shook his head, and pulled her down to sit next to him. He looked intently into her eyes, and responded,

"you didn't do anything. Simmons and his lackeys just hallucinated the whole event. And the tree was always there. None of this happened..." His words faltered then, and as he downed some more of his flask's contents, Cyrus came crashing through the woods with Simmons leading him and several knights trailing behind them. Simmons stopped and pointed at Eä.

"There, Sir Cyrus! She burned the tree down when she was truly trying to kill me, and had I not jumped out of the way, I surely would have been burned just like the tree you see before you." Several of the knights moved as if to hold her, but Cyrus waved them away. Cyrus frowned, and looked about.

"I don't see any burned trees, soldier. Just the rotting log Glenn and Eä are sitting on. Is this some kind of joke? I'm far to busy to deal with any of your stories, and I don't want to be bothered by your insane rants again. If you and your men think you saw something, then next time I would blame it on all the wine you've had, because there's nothing here!" Simmons looked about helplessly, finding his key tool of evidence was gone. He searched about frantically, waving his arms about hopelessly.

"No, wait, I swear! This tree, right here! It had been burned to a crisp!" Cyrus sighed and shook his head.

"There is NOTHING wrong here man! But, I want to have a word with you back at the castle about drinking while on patrol." Simmons frantically cried,

"But, Sir Cyrus! Even Glenn will tell you what the girl did! He can't lie to you, his best friend!" Cyrus turned to the still silent Glenn, and raised an eyebrow. "Well Glenn? What happened here?" Glenn shrugged.

"We were just walking, that's all." Cyrus turned to her.

"Eä?"

"We were walking, just like Glenn said, when these fools came upon us and started shouting things. Then, all the sudden, they started crying out that the tree was ablaze, though, as you can see, it's perfectly fine. All but those two ran off, they had fainted and fallen asleep. We weren't doing anything, but these fools were so drunk they couldn't tell a tree from a mystic!" Simmons made as if to protest, but Cyrus silenced him with a look.

"That will be enough from you sir! You already have enough weighing down on your head for drinking while on duty and making up a lie just to cause trouble. I'm sorry Eä, I won't let this fool bother you again." She smiled sweetly, and nodded.

"Thanks Cyrus, but please go easy on him. I'm sure the only punishment he deserves is for being drunk, because that was the only reason he told that silly little story. In fact, I'm probably to blame for giving them the idea of fire." Cyrus looked over at her, startled.

"You told them the tree was on fire?" She laughed and shook her head.

"No, no! I just told them to rot in... umm, well let's just say I told them off because they were being irritating. Don't worry though, Glenn and I took care of it." Cyrus sighed and waved the men on.

"Well, if you're certain they didn't mean any real harm, then I suppose I'll let some of the severity of the incident slip. I think you're being too easy on them, for calling someone a mystic is a serious offense, but if you're sated, then I'll let it go. But that doesn't mean you men get off free. As soon as you have sobered yourselves up, come around to my quarters to receive your punishment. But don't try to get out of it, because I know who you are." Simmons scowled, but allowed the knights to push him forwards. The two men who had fallen asleep were woken, and they staggered back with the help of some of the knights. The group began to head off, and Glenn and Eä followed in suite. She didn't make eye contact with anyone though, and didn't even flinch when Simmons' hand dug itself deeply around her wrist by her side. He surreptitiously hissed into her ear,

"I didn't have enough drink in me to imagine what I saw. You're a mystic, even if you don't know it yet. You were foolish to let me off so easily, because now I'll be waiting for you to make another mistake. No matter where you try to hide, what mask you put on, which crowd you try to mingle into, I'll find you. A freak can't stay hidden forever amidst the innocent townsfolk. One slip, and it's all over or you, unless, of course, we can come to an arrangement of some sort..." He let his hand stray lower, but she dug her fingernails in him as he brushed her. He let go and pulled back his hand, smiling. "Don't forget about what will happen to Cyrus once you're caught. To preserve his name, I might not be such a bad fate. Just consider it, because next time it will be too late." He moved up ahead again, and Eä was shortly joined by Glenn. She was too upset by what had happened and what Simmons had just suggested to start a conversation with her green haired friend, so she allowed him to make the first move.

"Lass... I need to talk to you once we get into the castle. Follow me." She slipped away from the throng and followed Glenn through a small side door into a tiny chapel on the western side of the castle. They were immediately welcomed by the soft repeating melody of the cathedrals, and they sat down on one of the sun warmed wooden pews. She sat quietly, not knowing if she should be afraid or welcome to her friend's voice. At last he murmured, "Lass, I don't know what happened, nor will I question you. I normally would report a mystic if I found one amongst the throngs, but I know not what you are..." He cut off a moment, and seemed to listen to the church's melody before continuing.

"I've heard rumors of people with magic, but the only evidence we have of that is that the Magus is supposed to be human. Since no one has ever seen Him and lived, that rumor has yet to be proven. If you are one of these prodigies... In the village, you are called mystic, and are feared because you have somehow escaped death-not once, but _twice_. And the happenings of today will not stack up in your favor. I'm not telling you what to do, but at least give my advice some consideration. At the moment, it seems you have a few options. You could run off, join the mystics and become feared and hated; you could run off and never be heard of again; you could stay in the castle until you are found out and then sentenced to execution; or you could admit that you have odd powers and see if the Prince or Chancellor will allow you to stay in the castle. None of these futures are very pleasant, I'll admit that, but there aren't many options in this situation that could create a happier future. Though you don't have to do this, I suggest that you tell Cyrus and Richard of these odd happenings, and any reasons at all that you could think they are occurring, they are decent men and will not penalize you if you tell the truth. Who knows, maybe you could even use you abilities to stop the war."

She winced a bit as he mentioned the very options she had decided she had, and turned away. If she told Glenn that somehow she was one of those prodigies, how could she explain herself? She had no idea why these things were happening, or even how they were occurring when they did. If she told Cyrus, he'd be angry with her, because not only would Simmons be right about her, he hated mystics with a vengeance. She shook her head sadly.

"I won't leave, because I hate the mystics, and there's nowhere else for me to go. But I can't tell Cyrus, Glenn. He'd end up hating me, or... he'd kill me because I'm like a mystic. I don't want this to happen to me, it was hard enough as it was just living here! I'm so scared Glenn, I don't want this to happen to me!" She began to sniffle, and he out a consoling hand on her arm. She looked up to see him smiling softly, and he offered her his handkerchief which she gladly accepted.

"Eä, he won't be mad, just surprised." He smiled again, and looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "I, ah, also wanted to say... Your prowess in managing the situation so tacitly was amazing. It was all the truth, only with major contents edited out." She sighed and looked down at the cloth in her hands.

"I've always had a knack for putting the truth behind most of my words, because I don't like flat out lying to anyone, no matter what." He looked at her again, almost cautiously this time.

"You sound as though you've used the tactic often." She caught the hint of wariness in his voice, so she replied carefully,

"more often than I would like." He seemed to ponder this a moment, then nodded.

"I knew you were holding out more of your past." As she gasped he said, "Lass, everyone whose had amnesia recovers a bit of their past after a while, even if not ever completely. But, you, no, you never could remember anything, just a big blank where your past had been. That meant that you hadn't lost your memory at all, you were just hiding what you knew for some reason or another. I won't pry, but am I correct in assuming that you know more than you've told us?" She sighed and nodded.

"Yes, but if I told you where I was from, you'd think I was off my rocker. I didn't want to deceive you or Cyrus or his family, but I didn't know anyone and I needed to find a way home. No one would have helped me if I told them where I lived. Never found a way back though, so I'm stuck here for life." She sighed again and brushed away another tear as it formed. Just thinking of home and how close she had come to finally fitting in here was enough to start her off again. Glenn didn't say anything at first, but looked at her with a kind of pity.

"No one would be angry with you for fleeing from the mystics Eä, and even if _He_ was after you, Cyrus or I still would have been happy to help you. There is no shame in escaping from the grasps of any enemy- be they mystic or human." She looked up again, perplexed.

"What do mystics have to do with my past?" He frowned, not understanding how his hypothesis could be incorrect.

"Aren't you a slave that has escaped from the mystics? I was almost certain that you were either a common captured slave whose family had been slain so you'd been taught by the mystics, a half human/half mystic girl raised by the mystics and fled for a better life amongst humans, or that you were unfortunate enough to have fallen into Magus' hands and been forced to become his slave..." She shook her head, laughing slightly at her friend's imaginative ideas of her past.

"No, I'm 100 human, no mystic in me! In fact, the first time I had ever seen a living, breathing mystic was when you two rescued me- the first time I had met anyone from around here too. I mean, if I did have magic, it would make sense if I was from around here, with Zeal and all." Now it was Glenn's turn to laugh.

"Oh, don't tell me you believe those old fairy tales! Who could believe them? A floating island? Come now Eä, even Magus wouldn't be strong enough to do that!" She looked at him surprised.

"You've heard of Zeal? But that was over 12,000 years ago!" They stopped and watched a nun come in to replenish the candles before Glenn answered.

"No one believes the old tales, they're just to give the children a scare when they're too young to know something so foolish from reality. Just enough to scare them to bed, 'if you don't go to bed, Queen Zeal will get you and give you to Lavos!'" As he laughed, Eä felt chills run through her body at the mention of those two names.

"That legend is more true than you think..." she murmured. He got himself under control and turned serious again.

"Look Eä, if you don't want to tell me where you're from, that's fine with me, but keep in mind that it could be dangerous to give fools like Simmons an edge. I'm not pressing you, but if you ever want to talk, Cyrus and I are always here when you need us for council." He got up and headed for the exit, but she called him back quietly.

"Glenn... thank you. I'll think it over. But, if you could mention my secret to Cyrus... I'd be deeply obliged..." He smiled and waved an airy hand.

"He was the one who came up with all those crazy ideas, I just thought you were a runaway. He knows, but I think it would be better if you went up personally and told him the truth. Maybe if you told him your history, he would understand your situation a bit more." She glanced at him , then gave him a quick hug which seemed to throw him off guard.

"Thank you for your help Glenn! I know whatever I'll do, you won't be disappointed in me!" He smiled, then went out the door. She went down to sit on her pew again, and attempted to sort through her many scattered thoughts. Life was so much harder here than it was at home! Here she had to worry about mystics, cooking, sewing, acting like a lady... And now, the whole kingdom was beginning to say she was a mystic! That didn't help her situation any. And if she didn't tell Cyrus and Glenn something soon, they'd begin to mistrust her too. If they didn't like the truth... well, then she was as good as in the mad house! How could she tell them her history, and yet have them remember nothing at all? She suddenly grinned as a devilish plan popped into her mind. She was so ingenious, she could sometimes amaze herself! Not only would this plan solve her immediate problem, it would take care of any that might pop up in the future as well. Now, if only she could find the source of this monotonous music so she could smash it into millions of shattered pieces.

She sat back against the pew and listened to the music that still floated around the church. This was getting really irksome; having to listen to the same song over and over like a broken record. She didn't hear Glenn's theme all the time she was around him, nor the castle theme constantly, just occasionally when she was in the main hall or when there was a breeze. Still, while it was annoying, it was also soothing on her tense nerves, and she soon fell asleep, her head bowed down against the pew in front of her.

It wasn't until Cyrus came and shook her gently that she had found out how tired she was. Her hand from which the bolt of light had shot out was aching and slightly bruised, and she rubbed it as Cyrus joked. "At last, I've found Sleeping Beauty, not in her room, but slumped over in a church! Faire maid, may I not suggest that since thou art tired, that thou retire to bed? Tis not far from lunch time, yet I shall happily order the cook to save some food for thee to supp upon whenst thou awaken once again from thy lofty bed." She rubbed her good hand over her eye and yawned.

"Whenst? I may still be partially asleep, but I don't think that's a real word, Sir Knight. But I am glad you've come, because I need a word with you." Cyrus put his hands up in mock defeat.

"What hath I done to enrage a lovely maiden such as thyself? Whilst thou not go to bed so that I might waken thee with a kiss after sleep hath depraved thee of thy temper?" She laughed and shoved him playfully.

"What a rotten trick, sir Knight! Sending a lady to her bed so that thou mayst steal in and take a kiss when she isn't looking! I'm not mad at you, I just wanted to ask you something. Have you talked to Glenn?" He turned serious, and sat down beside her.

"Yes, I have. But I won't believe that you are a normal lady from this kingdom. No one I have ever met has acted as you do, nor have I set eyes on one who has ever matched you in beauty. I won't believe that you are a commoner, because that is impossible. Even if you come from the poorest family in the kingdom, there is no one in the entire land who matches you in the riches you hold in your smile and laugh." She stared a minute at him, taken aback and completely off guard for this approach to a conversation. Then she laughed and pushed back a few locks of her bangs that had fallen out while she had been asleep.

"Oh Cyrus, stop playing! I'm not from the poorest family in the kingdom, but I'm no noble either. Now stop talking like that, it makes me think that I'm talking to a gentleman when you speak like that." He sniffed as though offended, and gave her his puppy-dog eyes look.

"It hurts me to the core when you say that! I don't ever want to be considered a gentleman!" She laughed and shook her head, then growled as her bangs fell out once again with that movement. Tucking them back in again, she chided,

"now stop! I need to talk to you about something serious, and I can't when you're acting like a suitor or a spoiled brat! Now, I wanted to ask you about dinner tonight." Cyrus gasped, and his eyes grew wide.

"Did I invite you out to a fancy dinner and then forget about it? Oh dear, how would you like a picnic dinner or a rain check until I've made reservations?" She sighed and chuckled.

"No, you didn't ask me out to dinner, but now I see a way I can get you to take me out to one. I wanted to know if you were busy tonight, because if you weren't, I'd like to take you an Glenn out so we could talk afterwards in private." He seemed somewhat relieved, and answered,

"Yes, I think I'm free. I'm glad you've decided to talk Eä. I was afraid you'd run off and I'd never see you again." She smiled and stood up.

"Good. But make sure Glenn comes too. I want you both to hear this, it's going to be hard enough to say once, and I might not be able to make myself repeat it again. Just meet me outside the castle before dinner, and we'll go into town. I need to go make arrangements now, so if you'll excuse me..." She got up and quickly drifted out of the church, leaving Cyrus sitting by himself. He stood up, nodded at the alter in a kind of silent thanks for an answer to his prayers, and then left quietly to go find his green haired friend to relay the message of their engagement tonight.


	7. A Little Goes A Long Way...

A Little Goes A Long Way...

Ch VII

Eä, Glenn, and Cyrus walked into the small inn, just as she had said they would. When they entered the lodge, they found that it was filled with people, laughing and drinking. Cyrus began to turn away, saying this was no place for a lady, but Eä pushed her way through the masses and sat down at a table. The two men shrugged after a few minutes, then moved over to join her. Almost immediately, a waiter came over to give them drinks and take their orders for dinner. Cyrus raised an eyebrow at her, but she pointed to the flasks on the table.

"Drink up, you're going to need a stiff drink for what I'm going to disclose to you." So, the two obediently did as they were told, quaffing the ale while she sipped her cider. The two men soon fell into a conversation of how the war was progressing, and what they thought might happen in the next few years. Several men from the surrounding tables edged towards theirs to add their two cents every once in a while, but Eä didn't pay too much attention to them. Her gaze was set on the lonely looking piano in the corner, which was being used as a table for several dregs of beer. She kept throwing it glances, remembering times when she had sat and played her piano back home whenever she got the chance... She was so engrossed in her thoughts, she didn't realize Cyrus had spoken to her.

"Sorry, what was that?" He smiled and nodded over in the instrument's direction.

"Isn't doing much, is it?" She shook her head with a little laugh.

"No, I suppose not. I can't help looking at it though, I have so many memories of playing our own piano in my free time. It reminds me of home..." He looked surprised, and with good reason. This was the first time she had said anything about remembering her past. He seemed to be struggling with the urge to ask her to elaborate, but instead excused himself for a moment, and walked over to speak to the innkeeper. His seat was almost immediately taken by a young man who had "by chance" been sitting facing their table. When Cyrus left, he practically leapt to get to the chair, and nonchalantly reclined back on it, starting up a conversation with Glenn but keeping a good view of Eä the whole time.

"Hey Glenn, how are you? How does life in the castle suit you? And who is your lovely companion? Hi, I'm Frederick, but you can call me Freddy! And who are _you, _oh goddess upon Earth?" She gave a half hearted laugh, and looked away. 'Great just what I need...' Glenn hit the man sharply on the back.

"Stop flirting man! For God's sake, you have Miriam !" Freddy reddened, and asked meekly, "your name, Lady?" She glanced back at him again before looking for Cyrus again.

"Eä." The man brightened up with this.

"Ah, such a lovely name for such a lovely lady!" She sighed, and sipped her cider again. The man was about to banter even more when Cyrus came to her rescue. Blocking the other man's view of her, he held out his hand to help Eä up. He led her over through the crowds, saying,

"The innkeeper said it would be alright if you played. In fact, he'd love to hear you."

She sat down on the rickety bench which had been placed before the ancient instrument, whose flagons and flasks had been taken away. She carefully pressed her fingers down to try a few chords, and found it to be a bit out of tune, but playable. Several of the more intoxicated customers started cheering with her chord, but she ignored them and began to play the first thing that came to her fingertips. A bittersweet melody arose out of the ancient box, and a sudden hush came over the people. She completed it by letting the music trail off at the end, and looked down at her fingers in amazement. While some clapped, some cheered, and some snored as they had fallen asleep to her calm tune, Cyrus knelt down next to her.

"What's the matter Eä? That was beautiful." She looked up at him, alarmed.

"I've never played that piece before!" He grinned and patted her on the back.

"So you're a musical genius as well! We'll call it 'Eä's Theme' in honor of the lady who composed it!" She shook her head,

"no, I didn't write it, it's called 'Singing Mountain'. It's just weird cause I never tried it before, even though I did have the music for it..." Several shouts for more melodies rose above the noise, and Eä happily obliged them. She played several songs from Chrono, which everyone seemed to enjoy immensely. She even played Glenn's theme, which proved to be his favorite, and Cyrus like the Castle's theme. She also tried doing some of the Final Fantasy songs, and many other Squaresoft tunes. To her amazement, she found that many of the people recognized them vaguely. While this was a bit startling, it made sense, considering they were all from the same company.

During her performance, Cyrus and Glenn continued to drink their mugs, and when they had finished, she decided it was time to stop trying to put off the inevitable. She closed her performance with "Eä's theme", them stood up, signaling the two to follow her. She told them which room it was that she had reserved , and told the waiter to bring the supper they had ordered there. She was about to follow the men down the hall when a wizened older man who had been sitting in the corner came over and snagged her sleeve to get attention.

"Miss, you've got talent like I've never seen before! You could easily earn a fortune playing things like that in the King's court." She smiled, somewhat disconcerted with the man's steady icy-purple gaze, but shook her head.

"No, I prefer art to music, but thank you for your compliment. If you'll excuse me, I need to catch up with my friends." She smiled and headed down the corridor, leaving the old man to sit by himself to finish his draft. He paid the barkeeper, said goodnight and left. Once safely away from sight any near the inn the man laughed and threw off his guise, revealing the much younger face of Magus. So, That was the death defying girl! A very pretty specimen indeed... As he walked into the shadows, he laughed again. She was a mouse; timid, shy, a real coward! The thought of her being able to fell so many in a fray was unthinkable; she was the kind of girl who would cling terrified to her knight's arm in the heat of a true battle. But she'd play the part of the faire damsel in distress well. She was even more beautiful in real life. Well, he'd just have to get some more detailed reports before he decided if they should capture her or not. Even if she didn't have magic and couldn't be used as a soldier, she might still be worth catching. He'd figure out something to do with her; he _always_ found a use for captives.

---------------------------------

Cyrus and Glenn sat looking over at Eä, who was paying the servant for the food and drinks. When the man had left, Cyrus was about to start the questioning, but Eä shook her head.

"We'll eat first, then you two can have the drinks I ordered for you. Trust me, by the end of the night, you'll be glad you've had them, though maybe not so tomorrow morning... Don't try to argue that you've had enough- you need it to cushion what I'm going to tell you. Now eat up." He didn't seem very satisfied, but when Glenn and Eä picked up their forks, Cyrus had no choice but to do the same.

Though nothing was said over dinner, no one was inactive. Each person's mind was whirring, trying to foresee what might happen in the moments to come, and how the news would be taken. For Eä, she could lose all friends and respect she had worked so hard to get, and maybe even her freedom if they thought she was mad enough to be locked up. For Cyrus and Glenn, they could only see how she would feel better after telling them. Surely, nothing could be worse than being a mystic, and if that was the case, they would...they would... They'd think of something. They had absolutely no idea as to what truth was in store for them, she was sure of that. Who would? Another world, a video game that they were characters in? If only they could know how much her past influenced their futures...!

Due to her tension and increasing agitation, she had lost her appetite and began to play with her food, twirling it about in circles and making designs in the "mashed potatoes". They certainly didn't look like the mashed potatoes of her time, but that was because these hadn't been pulled out of a microwave after being hydrated and reheated. Thinking of home made her wonder how on earth she was going to put her past into words. She wanted to tell them of her past, warn them of how much danger they were in; what would happen in the mountains. She eyed the bottle of potent wine she had ordered for her victims, but decided against helping herself to the contents. If the wine was as good as the innkeeper boasted, then she'd have enough on her hands to worry about with Cyrus and Glenn than to have to deal with them under the influence herself. If her plan was to fall through, with even the slightest mistake, she'd end up in either an asylum, or being tied to a stake in the center of a town square for a social witch burning.

She was being to pale with the ideas of what might happen when Cyrus cleared his throat. The two men had finished, so she pulled on the bellpull to summon a servant. The man from before came in and cleared away the plates, leaving them with the keys to some rooms and two large goblets for the contents of Eä's plan. These were placed in front of Cyrus and Glenn, who nodded to the servant in thanks, but didn't touch them yet. They both were looking somewhat intently at her, waiting for her to start. The effects of their earlier drink was beginning to show through though; they didn't seem as uptight or as active as before. Hopefully they would be relaxed enough to take the news in repose and not give her trouble. She put on a cheerful smile and started, though her insides were humming in fear.

----------------------

And so, Eä told them her past, from her birth to the time of the accident. At first they seemed a bit dubious, but their manners and interest kept them peaceful. She was sure that the ale had a bit to do with it too. She found that Cyrus and Glenn were wonderful listeners in this state, both smiling pleasantly and nodding stupidly from time to time as they sipped their ale and became even more soused while she continued with her tale. At one point in her narrative, Cyrus started humming a soldier song. This wouldn't have been so bad, had he not have increased the volume and allowed Glenn to sing the slurred verses.

_"Oh_, _once I had a lassie,_

_The prettiest girl you'd ever see!_

_The only problem was she wasn't too bright_

_'Cause she chose my friend over me!_

_Oh, lady, my love, what did I do_

_To turn your heart from me?_

_Was it that I snored too loud,_

_Why won't you come back to me?_

_Oh my lassie, she was so fine_

_She dressed all in silk_

_Her hair was of the finest gold_

_And her skin was of creamy milk_

_Oh, lady, my love, what did I do_

_To make me seem so wrong?_

_Was it that I sang my love off-key_

_Or was it just the song?_

_Oh why did you ever leave me alone_

_Without so much as goodbye?_

_Was it for my friend who gave you gold_

_When I just gave you apples to make me a pie?_

_Oh, lady, my love, what did I do_

_To make you want to leave?_

_Was it the for the lack of gifts_

_Whenever I returned from a siege?_

_What did he do, this friend of mine_

_To make him seem so grand?_

_Was it for my lack of love_

_Or because he's the richest in the land_?

_Well, go your own way, lady, good bye_

_I admit I'll miss you a bit_

_But I'll never leave the knights of the Square_

_Cause that's where I'll always fit!"_

She finally ordered them to keep quiet when they started to pound the casks on the table in unison to the supposed beat of the ditty and the words began to become ruder. They calmed a bit, and drank more as she continued. When she described the incident with the ball, Cyrus blurted out, "I like sports. I think hitting balls with bats would be fun, don't you Glenn?" Glenn nodded.

"I don't understand it though. How are you expected to be able to hit the ball with a stick while trying to tag other people? It just doesn't make sense..." Eä patiently explained that tag and baseball were in fact two different sports, making Cyrus give his friend a hard slap on the back.

"Yeah, they're two, not one! But what I want to know is, doesn't the person who gets hit on the head get hurt? What kind of game is that, where people get hurt?" She sighed but laughed

"Yes, It did hurt, but if I may continue with my story... I woke up, and found myself in the mountain range, where I-"

"I always was a good sports player. Remember Glenn? Hahahahaha, Remember the time we took Bob's helmet from practice and filled it with-"

"SHUT UP CYRUS!" Cyrus frowned for a minute, but his spirits rose again a he downed some more of his drink. She could feel her fingers twitching with the urge to throttle him, but she kept her temper under control by continuing. "Alright then, down to the real reason I wanted to talk to you two. I've need to warn you about a danger very soon from now, and I don't want any interruptions, got it?" She glared at the two who stupidly grinned and allowed her the silence she needed. She got to the part of Magus' true identity, and Glenn began to giggle like a girl. Eä frowned, unsure of what was so funny in the tragic tale. Glenn wiped his eyes before answering her question.

"The named a boy- a Prince- Janice, a girl's name!" He began to giggle again, but Eä muttered, "He was named after the God of the gates, Lord Janus- not Jan-ice, Jan-us, and I wouldn't laugh about him if I were you Glenn. He is going to ruin your life if I can't help it. But if I could get on with it.." Cyrus almost shouted,

"Yeah, I wanna hear more, shut up!" She continued again, and was amazed when she'd actually gotten to finish without too many interruptions. She took a long swig at her cider and examined the two carefully. Glenn had fallen asleep twice, but was now mostly awake. Cyrus, however, was dozing; drooling slightly on his arm. She scowled in disgust, and shook him by the shoulder. He started awake, wiping his mouth on the back of a sleeve and looking about dumbly.

"Did I miss the end of your story? Did the princess kiss the frog, or did she run off with the mute?" Glenn elbowed his friend in the gut.

"No, she disappeared, so the frog had to fight the transvestite with blue hair over a magic cape which summoned a porcupine that would bring destruction on a floating continent. Pay attention next time Cyrus!" Cyrus frowned at the correction, but shrugged and groped for the decanter again. Eä shook her head, laughing.

"I think you've had enough for one night boys. And Glenn, Magus isn't a transvestite, if anyone is, it's Flea. The princess disappeared because of the mystics; the cape is a place, not an item; Lavos isn't a porcupine, and though he did destroy Zeal, it was because Queen Zeal summoned him. And Crono isn't a mute, he's just quiet. Now, I want you two to head to bed, because you're going to have an awful morning as it is, and I think you could use all the rest you can get."

Glenn staggered to his feet, swaying slightly with the effort. Cyrus grinned ridiculously, and said as he pushed himself up, "how's about a goodnight kiss, Love?" She laughed and pushed him away.

"Maybe when you're sober I'll give you a little peck. Good night now, Boys. I'll see you tomorrow." The two were already stumbling towards the door when Cyrus caught the frame suddenly and wheeled around to say,

"Damn shame about your picture though! I'd tell the king if I were you. Porcupines are responsible for the worst crimes today!" She wrinkled her nose in confusion, but laughed and motioned them out.

"Sure Cyrus, whatever. Good night!" The two then staggered out of the room, and miraculously found their way to the hall without breaking anything. She watched them walk out of the room, and sunk her head on the table to let out a long and shaking laugh in relief. The two looked hilarious as they leaned on each other for support, running into an occasional snag in the floor and almost toppling over. She sighed, and sat back in a nervous and tired huddle. She was happy they had taken it so well; they hadn't gotten violent at any point, which had been on of her worries before.

Eä sat a few minutes longer, shaking her head in mirth as she listened to them attempt to make their way down the hall in silence. Every time one of them hit the wall with a "thud!", they would both loudly hiss at the other to tell him to keep quiet. Then one of them began to sing a snatch from a soldier song- she figured it was Cyrus- and soon, they were both were singing at full blast. Finally, the innkeeper came out and directed them to their chambers, appearing himself in his nightclothes. She finally decided to head to bed herself, her task finally complete, at least for now. She got ready to sleep, then flopped back onto the soft bed. Everything had gone perfectly, just as she had hoped it would. But if everything was going right, why did she still feel so crummy?

----------------------------------------------------------

The scout watched as the girl withdrew from the room, extinguishing the room's fire and walking down the hall to her own chambers. He leaned away from the window, and checked over his notes, making sure he had gotten everything down correctly. Lord Magus would be pleased with this bit of news, but then again, maybe not... It would be useful to have a slave who knew the future, but if she was accurate, then the mystic lord would not enjoy receiving news that he would be sent away by three apprentice mages. And what was this gate thing? He seemed to recall hearing about it before. Was this the same thing that the crying and bratty boy Janus had been talking about? The information she had told them of his liege was surprisingly accurate from what the little boy had said when he was first adopted by the great Ozzie. If she was accurate about that, then what if the future she just predicted was correct as well? Surely the Mystics would not have to bow to the commands of those, those..._humans_! Well, he'd just let Flea or Slash know, then hightail it out of there before the Mystic Lord was able to become too angry.

He smirked at the idea of Slash and Flea trembling before their King without a witness to back up the story. If the Magus didn't like the story, well, he wouldn't be there to worry about it. If he did like it though, he could come forward to nonchalantly claim his bonus and the generals wouldn't be able to stop him. He tucked the documents into his bag, then tied them tightly. A quiet cough made him glance up from his tying, distracted. The soldier sneered as the Blue imp tried to press himself flat against the wall and find an escape route. The human lifted his blade, and swung it down with deadly precision. The halved imp slumped forward as Simmons cleaned and replaced his blade into its sheath.

"That'll teach you to try to spy on a colleague. I, on the other hand, can use the information for much better purposes. Mainly, for myself." He laughed as he gathered up the spilled notes and headed back towards town to get some sleep in his inn. "Good night, Miss Dinn. I know your secret now, and it's just a matter of time before I get what I want. Sleep well, because it might be the last time you will

_dum dum dum! The plot thickens! Or congeals and dies off, I'm not sure which... R/R! _


	8. Getting Reacquainted

Getting Reacquainted

Ch VIII

Eä smiled cheerfully as Cyrus and Glenn groaned their way into the room. She put a plate of breakfast before them, as well as a tonic for their headaches, then sat back to sip her warm cider. Cyrus ran a reddened eye over the food, then decided against it. He took a long swig of the tonic, then handed the rest to his bleary eyed friend. Cyrus sat for a minute, rubbing his temples roughly. He then sat back and groaned again, taking a chug of the dark coffee in front of him. He didn't look at her, but he said,

"Well, Miss Dinn, I'm afraid I don't recall that much from last night... I trust everything went well...? " She smiled sweetly, then refilled his cup.

"Yes, very well indeed. Don't worry, you two were perfect gentlemen last night, though I must admit, I never knew you two had such wonderful voices. Neither, I suppose, did the rest of the inn. We all do now though, maybe even those in Truce." Cyrus and Glenn both reddened as she sipped her cider again, and Glenn attempted to make up an excuse, but she put up her hand.

"I said that you two were both gentlemen last night, and I'll stick to that. I'm not sure that anyone else appreciated your melody as much as I did, but they won't bother you. You are, after all, the Captain of the Knights of the Square Table and his best friend, so I don't think there's anyone stupid enough to come up and complain about last night." Cyrus seemed to have recovered a bit more from his hangover, and drank his coffee with more vigor.

"I don't know what you gave us last night Miss Dinn, but all I have to say is this- that was good stuff! I'm paying for it now, but it was worth it! How much did I have, by the way?" She put down her mug and thought a minute.

"Well, I don't know how much ale you'd had before while I was playing the piano, but you had... I think you had three mugs of it, and Glenn, you had two. I'm glad you enjoyed it, but I think you'd better eat your breakfast so we can leave. It's almost noon, you know." Glenn took another sip from the tonic, then seemed to be satisfied with his health and fell upon his food with a vengeance. Cyrus however, played with his food a minute, looking up suddenly as if coming from a trance.

"Miss Dinn!" She raised an eyebrow in response. "What did you tell us last night? I can't remember..." She squirmed a little under his glance, but he softened it and she replied,

"I told you my history, and you told me to tell you now that you were satisfied with my response, and that you wouldn't come after me again with more questions. You said that the matter was ended until I decided to tell you again." She added with a twinkle in her eye, "You also said that you'll never go up against me in a battle of wits, though I think it would be interesting to do so." He put his hands up in mock surrender before attacking his food.

"Never! I'm likely to lose my head!"

It was a fairly slow trip back to the castle; they were in no hurry to get back to the bustle and commotion of the stoned fortress, so they tried to enjoy what time they had out of it. Eä still was having difficulties riding a horse, but she didn't need them there to hold her on. They finally made their way up the path to the castle, where guards came out to take their horses. They looked at the three for some kind of explanation, but when they received none began to formulate their own theories of what they had been doing. Cyrus and Glenn walked up through the main entrance with Eä close behind them, and were met as they were the first time she had ever come to the castle: Leene standing around fidgeting. But this time, Jessica was beside her, and they both raced down the steps to meet the tired three. Grabbing Eä's arm, Jessica made "Tsk Tsk!" sounds while wagging her finger at the two men. Leene shook her head in exasperation.

"What am I going to do with you three? Cyrus, I told you I needed Eä back so that we could go out and get the dresses! I thought you said that you would be back no later than nine! It's already two! You're lucky that it only takes about an hour to get to Truce! Well, go get ready Eä, we'll be waiting in the carriage outside." She scowled at her brother who shrugged and grinned sheepishly, but didn't say a word. The two men walked towards the knights quarters to get changed, but Glenn turned around to wink and give Eä a surreptitious grin. He mouthed, "Have Fun!", then pointed to the two ladies who were fussing with their attire before getting into the awaiting carriage. She frowned, then turned to run up to her room and change. As soon as she descended the steps outside, Jessica stuck her head out.

"Come on Areä! We're going to be extremely late as it is! We'll have to stay the night there, thanks to that no good brother of mine. The idiot has no sense of time, and I knew he'd forget to tell you that we were going into town today...!" And so she continued, Leene occasionally getting a word in edgewise. The trip seemed to go by fast however, due to Jessica's entertaining stories about Cyrus when he was a child.

Eä especially liked one about how young Cyrus had beaten off over a hundred "mystics" one day after lunch, and then the next day their father had gone out to find that all of their scarecrows had been chopped off and run through a few times. Cyrus had remained adamant, however, that he had saved his family from mortal danger, and that he could become a knight at any time he wanted, saving the kingdom from the clutches of evil.

"Later that day Father made him sew the clothes back together, hang the scarecrows back up, and then told him that before he became a knight and ran off saving the kingdom from disasters like the mystic attack on our corn field, that he was to at least learn how to sheath a sword. Cyrus had left his little wooden sword stuck in one of the scarecrows, claiming that it was too hard to pull out. When Father pulled the sword out, he found it difficult: Cyrus had stuck it through the tattered scarecrow and all the way through a fairly thick log. After Cyrus had finished cleaning up the "disaster in the cornfield", Father told him that if he wanted, he would teach Cyrus how to become a knight and use a sword properly. Being a knight once himself, he could see potential in Cyrus and wished to nurture that skill. I was relieved when that happened, because when Cyrus began to learn chivalry, he also learned it's not nice to whack your sister, no matter how much she annoyed you." Jessica's face smiled distantly as she recalled her baby brother as a young boy.

This was the chance Leene had been waiting for to speak, so when Jessica seemed done, she asked, "Where did you three go last night? They seemed rather dizzy." Eä smiled and replied,

"We went to have a chat in an inn, but I don't think they'll remember much of our little talk because they seemed to be very fond of the wine there. " Leene tilted her head to one side.

"What did you talk about?" Eä opened her mouth to reply, but Jessica cut her off.

"Really Leene, don't be such a busy-body! Eä doesn't have to tell us what they talked about, though I'm very curious." She turned to give a questioning look to Eä, but the carriage stopped before she could reply. Leene smiled and held out her hand for the footman to help her out of the carriage. She stepped out daintily, and turned to wait for the two to follow. She was followed by her sister, the Eä hopped out without allowing the man to help her out. She wanted to walk about and stretch her legs, but the look Jessica gave her after getting out of the carriage by herself kept her in check. They walked into the store in front of them; a fancy place with dresses being displayed on the walls and throughout the room. The three were followed by a dubious guard, who didn't really seem to understand why women were so attracted to clothes. But he had a duty, so he tried to keep from looking bored as the head clerk came over to tell Leene that her dress needed a fitting. The five walked briskly to a room in the back where Leene was told to enter and change into her gown.

Jessica decided to take the opportunity to pull Eä out into the room to look for a dress of her own. Pulling several off the displays, she held them up to Eä, who found that Jessica was only selecting things in various shades of pink and white- two colors that didn't suite her at all. She told Jessica this, who frowned before laughing.

"You know, I think you're right! We'll try some blue." And so, they moved over to another section of the store where the blues and greens were kept. Several other store attendants held out selections, but few were approved by Jessica's picky selection. Finally, Jessica found four that she thought might do, and asked Eä if she saw anything else she might like. Eä was able to grab one green dress before she was ushered to the back to get changed. Leene was still being held in the room, and the guard who was on duty seemed torn between his duty to remain with the Princess at all times and his respect for the lady's modesty. As Eä was being pushed into one room though, Leene came out. Eä caught only a glimpse of white before the door was closed. She tried on one of Jessica's selections and hurried out to see Leene. As the door opened, she gasped, unprepared for the sight before her.

The most elaborate dress she had ever seen was before her, low cut but long and studded with various jewels of all sizes and colors. The sleeves were puffed, the skirt layered, and the bride-to-be fidgeting as five women with pins, the head clerk, and her sister were all fussing with various parts of the costume. Leene was muttering something about the cuffs and neck, and Jessica threw her dirty looks as she straightened and primped the puffed sleeves. Even the soldier seemed more alert as he gazed stupidly at the sight before him. But, to Eä's unhappiness, Jessica spotted her and came over, throwing her sharp gaze over the outfit.

"Hmm, not low enough, I think. And the sleeves are too short. No, not the right color, either. Try on the blue one, don't even bother with the other two purple. Go on now, hurry." She spun her around and closed the door as soon as Eä was through. She happily got out of the itchy thing, and put on the blue dress. The neck was indeed lower- almost so low that she was surprised that they would allow such a neckline in such a modest time. The skirt belled out like a southern belle of olden times, and the thing weighed her down heavily with its multitudes of strings of beads and ruffles. She squeezed through the door a second time, and popped out as she succeeded clearing the door. Jessica wrinkled her nose at it, Leene tried to hide a smirk behind one of her own enormous sleeves, and even the knight had to bite his lip to keep from chortling. She put her hands on her hips, then blushed and crossed her arms over her chest instead.

"I'm not the one who picked this out, Jessica. I sincerely hope that this was supposed to be a joke, even though it's not funny." Jessica coughed, then pointed to the door.

"Go try on the one you picked out." As she strained through the tiny frame and closed the door, she heard a low rumble of laughter. She irritably pulled of the dress, and yanked on the one she had picked out before storming through the door again.

This time, she was met with silence. The guard looked with his mouth open, Leene smiled in approval, Jessica even seemed to be happy. The clerk strode over and motioned her to turn around. The light green material swirled around gracefully at her feet as she spun, and the man gave an approving nod. "Looks nice," he said gruffly, and Jessica came over for a closer look. "It's a bit plain, don't you think?" Leene stepped off of her stool and brushed away the women trying to pin her up.

"No, it isn't, it's perfect! With a bit of jewelry, makeup, and perfume, she'll be the talk of the ball. Don't you agree, Roberts?" The knight stammered, blushing slightly, "Yes, I think it's very nice." Jessica tapped her cheek with her finger, then snapped it.

"No, it's not nice, it's perfect! We'll take it! Good, that was painless. Now all we need to do is find suitable jewelry to match, then we'll be done with your outfit. Why don't we go while Leene finishes up things here? That's alright with you, isn't it Leene?" Leene giggled and nodded.

"That's fine. Why don't you go to, Roberts? You seem to be ready to pass out with boredom, and I don't need to be watched every second. Go join them, they're more likely to need your help than I am. Unless, of course, you would be able to help me from being pinned to death." She batted the women about her away, but they continued to fiddle and fix her trim. She sighed and waved them off, then allowed herself to be the mannequin. So, accompanied by Roberts, the two women left the store in search of the jewelry for the adornment of Eä's gown. Jessica led the over to the main street in town, which was still busy, despite the late time in the afternoon.

The street was lined with dozens of tiny booths, all with various interesting goods and materials. Some had fine cloth, others fresh fruit and vegetables, while others had jewelry and weapons. The merchants were calling out their wares, showing off the elaborate designs in one weaving, or holding up a large selection of spices or charms. Eä found the atmosphere fascinating, and would have been able to spend a week just wandering about the many boutiques. Jessica, however, was not in the mood for browsing, nor was she very much interested in doing much more than finding what they were looking for. The two followed her obediently from stall to stall, occasionally giving their opinion on a brooch or necklace. As Jessica began to squabble with the merchant over a pin for her own gown, Eä wandered over to the stall next to the man's fine bijou.

There, she found a small produce cart with boxes of the various assortments of fresh crops lined along the side of the road. A farmer was selling some rather large apples to a woman with several children clutching her skirts, so she decided to look over at what the farmer's children were selling. Another box, this time lined with a blanket, was set in front of the two young children. The little girl, with the same blonde hair as her father, was holding a small white kitten. The boy with bright red hair was petting one of the other kittens inside. She knelt down next to him and proffered her fingers to one of the tiny balls of fluff. One of the braver tabbies came over and rubbed its mouth against her thumb. The boy said,

"You can pick it up if you- Hey, it's you!" She lifted the kitten onto her lap, then looked up to study the boy. When she looked at his face, she was delighted to see the young boy she had rescued in the attack long ago. He was grinning broadly from ear to ear, and he stood up excitedly.

"Hey Pa! Look, it's the lady who saved me, an' Ma, an' Mary!" The farmer came over and smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry if he's botherin' you, Miss. He swore that a lady saved him from the mystic attack a few months back, an' I'm afraid he just won't get it into his head that no respectable lady would ever fight in a battle." She smirked a little at this, and caressed the kit's ear. Without looking up, she replied,

"I absolutely agree. No self respecting lady would ever dare to pick up a sword and go into battle. He's just lucky that I'm not self-respecting very much." The farmer didn't seem to follow this for a moment, then his eyes bulged when the meaning of her response dawned on him.

"Ye mean you did save my Tom? An' My wife an' young Mary?" She put the kitten back, and stood up again.

"No, I just helped Tom defeat some mystics that were being rather rude. He saved your wife and daughter by himself." The farmer crimsoned, and took off his hat.

"Forgive me for doubting ye, Miss. Feel free to have what you wish from my cart. Perhaps ye would like one 'o the kits?" He bent down and scooped up one of the wriggling masses, extending it out to her. She swallowed a bit hard, but pet the thing behind the ears. It looked just as Cyrus did when he was young... "She gave it another pat, but shook her head.

"No, thank you anyway. I already have a cat of my own, and I'm sure that if he ever saw me with another cat he'd be extremely irritated with me. I'm glad you made it out alive, Tom, it was good to see you again. Practice hard and you'll be as good as Cyrus one day. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my friend. She'll be missing me. Goodbye!" She strolled over to the booth again, where Roberts was preventing an enraged Jessica from vaulting over the booth window to throttle the man. Eä helped ease her away from the booth, and calmed her down quickly.

Jessica bought from three other merchants after that, al after having heated discussions about the price. By the time she was ready to help Eä find something, the sun was beginning to dip below the rooftops and the streets were becoming less crowded. Jessica, having recovered from her last quarrel with an especially hard seller, cheerfully led them towards the docks where the jewelers specialized in shells and pearls. She led them to a booth that was manned by a merchant who seemed just about ready to close. But as he saw the three coming, he smiled broadly and beckoned them over.

"And what might I do for you two lovely ladies tonight, eh? Perhaps some lovely mother of pearl hair pins? Or perhaps some exquisite inlaid brooches?" Jessica shook her head and said, "We're looking for some pearl earrings with a necklace to match." The man nodded and dug around under the boxes. He pulled out several smaller boxes and laid them out for their viewing. Jessica nodded for the first time, seeming to be impressed with the craftsmanship. She held up several different styles before finding a pair that she found fitting. "How much for these tear drop pearl earrings?" The man smiled again, pleased with her choice. "Ah, a wonderful pair. For you, my lady, I will take 300 Gold."

"Would you take 200 gold from this lady?" She maneuvered Eä to the front, and she smiled at the man. He seemed to reconsider, then sighed. "Yes, I could not bear to take more than that from a lady such as yourself, my dear. You would like them then?" Jessica nodded, the asked, "Tell me, do they match any of the necklaces you carry?" The man grinned again, then brought from behind the counter a larger box. He opened the box, revealing a choker made of pearls and a large tear shaped pearl at the center. Even Jessica seemed awestruck by this, and asked quietly, "How much?" The man shook his head sadly. "For this, I would not be able to accept less than 1000 Gold."

"ONE THOUSAND GOLD? ARE YOU MAD? I'm not going to pay 1000 gold for one necklace! What about her? How much would you take from her?" She pushed Eä forward again, and Eä tried putting on her most charming and becoming smile for him. He shook his head again. "Alas, my lady, even for you, I cannot accept less than 1000."

"500!"

"950"

"650!"

"700, and not a gold piece less."

"Why you-!" Jessica was about to throw herself at the man like she had before to everyone else who had opposed her, but Roberts, anticipating this, caught her just in time. Jessica was seething, but Eä tried to calm her down by leading her away.

"We can find another, cheaper necklace somewhere else, Jessica. Why don't we go, so we won't be keeping Leene? I'm sure she must be done by now. Come on, you're always telling me to act like a lady, why don't you try to right now?" Jessica straightened, sniffed and pushed Roberts off of her. Giving the merchant a cold look, she nodded.

"I am a lady, I'll always be one, too. We will go now, but mark my words we WILL be back!" She turned on her heel and stormed off, leaving the merchant to close up and the two to follow behind her brisk pace.

They reached the bridal shop, Leene still being pinned in the back room. She was glad to get away from the shop, and happily left the shop on the notion that they had to go and get dinner and a good night's sleep. The carriage arrived and took the four to a better kept and more exorbitant inn than the one Cyrus and Glenn had been taken to. The three women were led into a room where a dinner was already laid out and waiting; warm and inviting after a long day of trekking around the town. Jessica told Leene of her finds and of all the "pig-headed merchants" that were about asking for prices that she thought were too high for their work. She showed her sister her finds, and told her how she had cajoled the price down for each item. She showed off Eä's earrings, speaking of the trader with bitterness and irritation mixed in her voice.

"Then the bloody fool said that he wouldn't even lower the price for Eä! I swear the no-good, blood sucking bas-" The door opened suddenly, and all the anger melted from Jessica's tone. Roberts and Martin came in to pay their respects to the women before they retired to bed. Roberts bowed slightly,

"I've come to bid you a good evening Ladies. My shift is up, and I shall be returning to the castle tonight. Martin here is going to be taking my place, so anything you need, feel free to summon him. Good night Ladies." He gave a short salute and was out the door before Leene was able to try to convince him to stay any longer. Jessica, however, got up smiling and invited Martin to sit down next to her. Martin, making the supreme sacrifice to follow the lady's wishes, sat down with a smile. Jessica was instantly absorbed in a conversation with him, leaving Leene and Eä to chortle behind their glasses, napkins and sleeves.

Eä stood up in the middle of Jessica's story of the "money stealing cretins" merchants, begging to be excused due to a sudden onslaught of extreme fatigue. Leene hastily arose and said that she would walk her to her room, for she too was feeling tired. Jessica nodded then continued with her story, in which Martin seemed to be moderately interested. The twosome left the room quickly, biting their lips as they closed the door. Leene whispered in a low voice,

"I have a feeling that there will be another wedding soon after mine's all over and done with." They nodded to the soldier who was saluting, allowing him to return to the chair he has been sitting in before they had emerged. They walked to their rooms, saying good night before parting at their separate quarters. They both hit the pillows exhausted; one from being dragged about by a mad shopper, the other from being fitted all day. They both fell into dreamful sleeps; one dreaming of quarreling with merchants, the other of being stuck with pins all day.

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Although she arose earlier than usual, Eä found the inn bustling with activity. People checking in, checking out, eating breakfast, or stumbling to bed after a long night's travel all passed her as she sat down in a chair with one of the soldiers still on duty. They spook little, due to the fact that she was still attempting to wake up and that he was tired too, due to a long shift over the night. He sipped his coffee while she sipped her cider, and not much else between the two occurred. Leene awoke next, followed by Jessica. As they sat down to a light breakfast, the soldier on duty was relieved and a fresh faced Martin was put on duty again. He jovially spoke to them as they finished their meal, then asked if they wished to return immediately to the castle, or if they would rather remain a few hours longer. Jessica, still resentful about the man who had refused a lower rate on the necklace, demanded that they at least go and try the merchant again, who might be willing to negotiate under more acceptable terms of payment if he knew that they were in actuality the queen-to-be and her companions.

They set out in the carriage, telling the driver to stop when they came to the dock where the man from the previous day was selling to another customer. When Jessica came into view, he noticeably flinched, but smiled to turn his attention back to the woman in front of him. As she left, he turned his mendacious smile upon the foursome, then blanched when he saw that Martin was a soldier and that the royal Guardian coach was in the background. His eyes fell upon Leene and he quickly made a trembling bow.

"Good Morning, your Majesty! How may I humbly be of service? To what, pray tell, do I owe this remarkable surprise visit?" Leene smiled cooly and gazed over the selection of assorted baubles, trying to find the one described to her the night before.

"Thank you sir, good morning to you. I was with my friends last night, and they said that there was a certain piece of jewelry that they were interested in here, but that there was a small disagreement as to the price. Would it be too much to ask you to lower the price for me?" She sweetly batted her eyes and gave him a smile that could cajole the moon out of the sky, but he visibly began to sweat and panic. He quicky pulled out a box that had another pearl necklace in it; very pretty, but not the one they wanted.

"Here you are your highness! Nothing but the best for you!" Leene turned to Eä, who shook her head indicating that this wasn't the one they had wanted. Leene turned to speak to the man, but Jessica had seized him up and was shaking him by the collar shouting,

"Where is it? This isn't it! What did you do with it?" Martin pulled her off the shaking man, and held her back while she snarled viciously. The man mopped his brow, all of his original confidence gone. He replied shakily, "I -I sold it."

"WHAT? To who? When?"

"To a man, earlier this morning. He was waiting here when I was getting ready to open up, and said he was interested in the necklace you ladies were so fond of. He said it was for a good friend of his, and he paid well for it. I'm sorry ladies, but I have to keep in business and he was the highest paying customer. If I could sell you anything else, I'd be glad to, but I'm sorry, that necklace was a unique item- I haven't anymore like it." Jessica was foaming at the mouth and struggling to clench her fingers around his throat, but she was held back by a joint effort of Martin and Eä. Leene nodded and sighed.

"Well, that's life goes sometimes. I'm sorry Eä, we'll find something else for you, I'm sure something will come up soon. Thank you for telling us, sir. Good day." She turned and headed towards the carriage, dragging the still seething Jessica behind her. Eä followed the two in suite, but turned back to watch Martin, who kept glancing over his shoulder as they made their retreat. She stopped and waited for him to fall in step with her.

"What's the matter? What do you see? Is the merchant about to throw a dagger at us or something?" He shook his head and craned his neck.

"No... It's just that- oh well, it's silly, but I think that there's this cat following us." She peered over his shoulder, and gave an exclamation of joy before picking up her skirts and dashing towards the docks. Leene and Jessica poked their heads out of the carriage, and while she was still angry with the man at the booth, she seemed more disgusted now as she saw Eä skidding to her knees and picking up a filthy mangy cat. Martin walked over as the two exchanged greetings. Eä looked up and laughed, beckoning the two out.

"Jessica, Leene, Martin, meet Cyrus, my cat!" Cyrus gave a long "Mriaow!" to say hello, but he wouldn't leave her arms. She stood up and allowed Leene and Martin to pet him while Jessica scorned her about getting her clothes filthy.

"Just look! Dust and mud all over you, cat hair down your front, and God! You reek of fish!" The smell, however, didn't stop her from giving Cyrus some loving scratches under the chin. Leene giggled as he gave her palm a lick.

"Oh, he's sweet, isn't he? I guess we should take him back with us so he can get a decent meal and a bath. We'll just have to drive with a window open."

They, in fact, rode with all the windows open, and by the time they had returned to the castle, they all needed a bath to rid themselves of the stench of the sea. When he was presentable, Eä took the clean cat over to Sir Cyrus and Glenn. Glenn, not being fond of cats, gave him a quick scratch and then fled as soon as possible. ( Eä later learned that when he was younger, Glenn had been scratched by a cat and hadn't liked them since. He really had been a marshmallow!) The two Cyrus, however, simply stared at his counter-Cyrus, not knowing what move to make. Both would be contesting for one person's affections, and would not be moved in their resolve. They exchanged a small pat and rub against the legs, but that was all. They would tolerate each other; and yet, he could see, that this Cyrus could possibly cause a rift between himself and Eä. Oh well, let the best man ( or cat) win!


	9. Leene's Big Day

Leene's Big Day

Ch IX

The morning started all too early for Eä's liking. Up an hour before usual, and the sun wasn't going to even begin to show for another 45 minutes. She yawned uncontrollably as she yanked on her last sock in a pace that was too slow for Jessica's approval. As she was bustled down the corridor and she became more awake, she could feel the ever increasing tension in the air. As she saw the various last-minute preparations for the coronation, she felt happy that she would never likely be married to a prince who would need to be coronated. But if her wedding was going to be this extravagant, she'd need to marry a prince to pay for all the decorations and festivities planned. She began to think along the lines of marriage and what she would say if he ever popped the question, when she tripped over Cyrus, who had been tagging along. She scolded him while following Jessica down the dim corridor.

"It's your own fault, you know. You shouldn't be in my way when I'm trying to hurry along. Go to the kitchens, they'll have something for you. They always do, since you visit it so often. " He gave a very hurt, "Miaow!" then turned and slunk off into the shadows left to his own devices. The two women hurried along, passing a random guard or maid in the mean time. As they neared Leene's room, the traffic had increased considerably and there was a constant flow of servants going in and out. One, a motherly old woman, came over to Jessica.

"Miss Jessica, You've got to calm your sister down. She's pacing back and forth, and I'm afraid that she'll ruin her dress if she continues on in this way. She won't listen to us, and she's worrying over nothing. I figured that you'd be able to ease her fears." She led them into Leene's room, where, pacing back and forth, was the new bride and queen to be. She would pace to the window, look out, then pace towards her closet, all the while trailing a posse of women who were trying to finish buttoning the dress up. Eä noticed with a smile that the sleeves were no longer as puffy, but Leene didn't seem to find anything funny in the situation. She saw them and gave a look of relief, hurrying over to them.

"I'm so glad you're here! I was so worried, I had the worst dream last night, that Richard-"

"STAND STILL Leene! Ladies, you may finish up now, and when they are done, Leene, you will sit down in a chair and allow them to finish putting up your hair. After your hair is done, we'll put on your jewelry, and then, if there's any time left, you can tell me all about your dream. Alright? Now, lets get moving!" Jessica clapped her hands together, and Leene came to a halt, and the women who had been desperately trying to make her do so for an hour gave a grateful nod before rushing to work again.

And so, about an hour passed and all the loose seams had been tightened, any string were cut off, and the last button had been put into place. Leene seemed more relaxed now, but that probably was because Jessica had given her a shot of something to drink will being fussed over. In her mellowed state, she docilely allowed the women to seat her before her mirror so that they could begin to wrap up her loose locks. The time flew by quickly, making Eä realize that not only was it past breakfast, it was near lunchtime when they said that Leene was done. Leene stood up and looked herself over in her long mirror.

"I love what you did to my hair! And the dress is gorgeous too! Hmm, now how am I going get through the halls without dragging it along the floor..? Oh, thank you ladies, for all your help. You can go ahead and leave me, I'll be fine now. Jessica, now will you listen to me? I had this dream and- Oh! Eä! You're not dressed yet ! You need to go and get ready, we only have two hours before the coronation and we'll need to get there early! So go and hurry up and get dressed, we'll be waiting here." Eä nodded, and said,

"I'll go grab a bite to eat, then get dressed, It won't take me more than about half an hour at tops to get ready, so I'll be here in plenty of time. Just don't worry yourself too much." She left the corridor, and headed towards the kitchens to go and bother the cook. He was running about like he always was in the game, trying to get the feast ready. Instead of having fun and badgering him today, Eä simply stayed to the side and took an apple out of the barrel before leaving to go sit down. Several knights were chatting merrily as she sat down , so she decided to join them. They gave her a hello, and asked how the queen-to-be was coming along.

"She's nervous and only stopped pacing when Jessica told her to, but she's fine now. She looks lovely, and I think she'll be the center of everyone's attention. Lord Richard is lucky to have a lady like Leene, and she is lucky to have met such a great guy like Richard. How is he doing?"

"Ah, he's stuck up on cloud nine, he was singin' off his balcony last night, 'Leene's gonna marry meeeeeee'. But then Sir Cyrus came in told him that if he wanted to be married his sister in the morning than he'd better shut up cause his Highness was keepin' up everyone and Cyrus wanted to sleep, even if his Lordship didn't. That shut him up right quick, but not a spell that the mystics could cast at him would be able to wipe the grin off his face. Smilin like a fool, he was!"

The other knights joined Roberts in a hearty laugh and toast to his highness, and Eä smiled as she heard that Richard was so happy. She stood up and took her leave, rushing to her room to get ready. Even if the men only need 15 minutes to prepare themselves, she was going to need a bit more than that. As she reached the stairs, Roberts called out,

"Oh, Miss Dinn! Sir Cyrus was lookin for you, said he needed to talk to you or give you somethin. I dunno what he wanted, but he's in with the prince, makin sure he won't go into anymore songs and gettin his highness ready. If you've a moment, I'd go talk to him." She thanked him and hurried off to get dressed. On the way up towards her room, she passed the ever increasing crowd of people coming in from the various towns to witness the coronation and wedding. She had to squeeze past them to get to the corridor for her own room, and as she made her way through, someone called out,

"Mystic Supporter!" She frowned and turned to see if she could locate the source of the rude call, but no one was even looking her way. She turned around again, irritated with the "joke". Here it was a serious offense to be called a mystic supporter, or even worse, a mystic. Ever since the day in the woods with Glenn and the soldiers, Simmons seemed to be determined to ruin her life by telling all that she was a mystic. She sighed, and left the crowded room to go put on her gown. Only a few believed him, but starting rumors like that weren't good for a person, especially a lone person whose background was unknown. But she had more important things to worry about, like being able to make it on time to Leene's room. She tried to forget the unpleasant name and began to concentrate on more important matters at hand, like penetrating the walls of people blocking her way to her room to get into the dress they'd chosen for the wedding and coronation, and to lay out the gown for the evening's ball.

She had barely enough time to get back to Leene's room, so she didn't get to see Cyrus like she'd meant to. Jessica was there in her own purple gown, tapping her foot impatiently making a loud click on the stone floor. Leene peered out as Jessica's foot stopped, and her face lit into another smile.

"Oh, good, you made it Eä! Come on in, we're just waiting for Cyrus to come with some soldiers to escort us." She walked in and sat down with Leene, Jessica hovering about the door waiting for Cyrus to hurry with the escorts. Leene looked her over and nodded approvingly.

"You look wonderful, Eä! Everyone will be talking about you tonight!" Eä laughed and shook her head. "No, you're the zenith of the day, Leene. Did you hear what your husband to be did last?" Leene nodded and giggled.

"I saw him too. That was when he started singing a funny little ditty. But then Cyrus appeared and told him that if he wouldn't be quiet, he'd be minus a wife. Richard immediately went inside, and the night was quiet after that. Oh good. Cyrus, what took you so long?" He walked in, with Martin and Roberts trailing behind. He was dressed in his armor, his purple cape over the heavy shoulder covers and his gray uniform underneath. The men were also dressed in their armor, but they didn't have the purple cloak that Cyrus did. He smiled proudly as Leene stood up and made her way over, even though it was just so that she could fuss over the condition of his cape and uniform underneath. Roberts came over to Eä and made a slight bow.

"Miss Dinn, I'm here to escort you to your seat, if you'd just follow me." He offered his elbow which she took after wising Leene luck and saying goodbye to Jessica. Cyrus looked up from his sister's primping to call out,

"Oh, Eä! I need to talk to you about something... Where will you be after the coronation is over and the royals are getting ready to party?"

"I should be in my room, and I'll make sure that I'm there for a bit before I go down to dinner. I'm sure I'll need to freshen up a bit before going down." He nodded, then turned his attention to Leene's prodding again. Jessica stopped tapping her foot again, and put her hands on her hips.

"Come On! We don't have all day, Cyrus! Lets get a move on! I said- Oh, hello Martin!" Her voice tuned to a singsong note when her eyes lit upon the man coming towards her, and he bowed slightly.

"Miss Jessica, may I have the honor of escorting you to the throne room?" She blushed and nodded, then extended her hand for him to take it. Leene was taken out by Cyrus, followed in suit by Martin and Jessica, leaving Eä to be led by Roberts. He offered his arm and said,

"shall we, Miss Dinn?" She took his elbow and they followed the others down the hall and towards the awaiting throne room. Before they were within sight of the room, Roberts pulled Eä off to the side.

"They're going to wait until the signal is given for Leene to enter. I figured you'd want to have a good seat and you'd want to see the coronation, so I took the liberty of having some men hold a seat for you. This way." They sat down in the front row, surrounded by soldiers and the knights of the Square table.

A hush came upon the crowd as the Prince came into view, and he took his place before the chancellor and the priest. He seemed nervous, but Eä saw what Roberts had meant in that there was a silly looking grin on his face. The trumpets sounded, and all stood up as the music began to play a wedding march. The doors opened, and several women dressed in pale pink dresses came in, being led by some of the knights. Jessica led by Martin walked in, with a small flower girl and ring bearer following close in suite. Then, in the silence of a rest in the march, Leene walked out with Cyrus by her side. They walked slowly down the aisle, the crowds all smiling and murmuring how beautiful she looked. As they approached the priest, Cyrus turned to Leene and gave her a kiss on the cheek, the handed her to Richard, who was still smiling, but now seemed nervous. Leene walked up to the platform where her prince and the priest were waiting, and the people sat down as the priest made the signs of the beginning of the ceremony.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride." The elated Prince drew up Leene and planted a kiss on her while she wrapped her arms around him. The throngs rose with a deafening roar and shouted various congratulations to the happy couple, still in each other's arms. They relaxed their holds on each other and smiled happily to the crowd, but still did not let go of the other's hand. The chancellor then came up and handed Richard his scepter. He made a long speech in a language that Eä didn't understand, parts of which Richard repeated. Then, everyone stood up as the crown was placed upon Richard's head, and all bowed before their new king. He stood up and someone called out ,

"LONG LIVE KING RICHARD GUARDIA! LONG LIVE QUEEN LEENE!"

The crowd thundered its approval, and the new royal couple walked down the aisle hand in hand and full of mirth. Cyrus walked behind them, followed by Jessica and Martin, then a whole patrol of the knights and soldiers. As the couple headed back to their quarters to get dressed for the nights festivities, the crowds began to move off as well, heading towards the great hall where all of the revelry was about to take place. Roberts smiled and asked as they headed out, "well? How did you like the wedding and coronation?" Eä smiled, and strode along evenly with him.

"Well, except for the fact that I had no idea what the chancellor said, it was amazing! I've never seen a dress like Leene's, nor have I ever seen a crown like that! The line of knights in their armor was wonderful, and the flowers were lovely too, don't you think?" He smiled and gave a chortle.

"Actually, I was thinking that it was long enough for the chancellor's beard to grow out of the door and all the way out of the forest. And that Richard will be throwing that crown off his head before the night is half over. You've no idea how heavy the thing is. The chancellor was worried about it being stolen, but we weren't worried because anyone who made off with it would be walking like drunken ogre!" He led her back to her room, and bowed with a farewell.

"I've got to go look in the cook, because I'll be on duty tonight while the feast is on. But maybe when I'm done you'll give me the honor of a dance?" She smiled and said she'd see if she'd last that long, but it sounded fine to her. She closed the door and lit the candles around her vanity so that she could touch up her face and put on the gown they had chosen for tonight. As she finished slipping into the green costume, she rummaged through her drawers to find the gloves that Leene had insisted she wear. She laid them on the table while she put on the earrings with a little difficulty. How long had it been since she'd last worn earrings? Since home? She said,"Come in" when a light knock on the door interrupted her from fiddling with her gloves, but she didn't have to look up to know it was Cyrus. She was still jamming the cloth down for a tight fit between her fingers when she gasped. A cold lumped chain was sliding around neck, and she looked up to see Cyrus putting the necklace that Jessica had almost killed the merchant for around her neck. She stood up in amazement and gawked stupidly at him.

"Cyrus..? Where did you.. How did you? Why...?" He smiled and finished fastening the chain around her neck so that the pearl was in center. He simply said,

"I got it from a merchant down at the docks, I knew that is was this one you wanted because Roberts came back that night and told me what to look for, and I did it because... I wanted to make you happy" She smiled with tears brimming in her eyes and stood on tiptoe to give him and hug.

"Thank you Cyrus, its beautiful.. The best gift anyone's ever given me. But you know," she said, her voice turning serious and stepping a pace back from him. "Your sister almost committed murder when she heard that someone had bought this. I'm not going to ask you how much you paid for it, but I'm sure you paid his silly price." Cyrus laughed and shook his head.

"No, all I had to do was say that I was a knight of the Square and show him my badge to make him become friendly. He told me that a very bossy lady came with a man and a peacemaking lady to tried to buy it for much less. He told me that they had already bought the earrings that went with it, but I told him that it was fine and that I didn't need anything else, thank you. I had barely slipped away when your carriage came rumbling down the street. I wish I could have stayed behind to see Jessica's face, but I had duty so I had to get back quickly. I hope you like it... you do, right?" She smiled and gave him another hug.

"Yes, Cyrus, thank you. Its beautiful. I can't tell you what this means to me." He grinned and headed towards the door.

"Then show me tonight with a dance. How does that sound?" She laughed and nodded, then walked him to the door before heading back to her vanity. She gazed in the mirror at the pearl gleaming brightly in the light and smiled. He really was a sweet heart. No wonder half the kingdom was in love with him. She was just lucky enough to actually get close to him and befriend him, and he seemed now, more than ever, to want to deepen their friendship to another level. She sighed in happiness and took a moment to write a note of it down in a book she'd gotten from Jessica to act as a diary. She circled two words in a continuing list next to one of many quick sketches of Cyrus that became a simple phrase._ 'Loves me'._


	10. The Dance

The Dance

Ch X

Eä stifled a yawn. Wedding receptions could be _sooo_ boring! This one had proved to be no different, despite the fact that it was a royal reception. Oh, the palace was beautiful; the most wonderful place she'd ever seen. It was decorated with flowers all over the place, even though few were actually in bloom here. Large tables had been set up for the banquet, lavishly decorated and garnished dishes had been set out already, though it wasn't anywhere near time for dinner yet. The guests were almost as decorated as the room: soldiers looking smart in their uniforms, nobles in capes and tuxes, ladies in gowns dripping with jewelry.

Eä's dress had been so fixed up by Jessica that she had considered it overdone, but compared to what some of those present wore, she looked plain. The gloves that Leene had insisted that she wear were really beginning to get on her nerves now. But all the tiresome bickering with Jessica and Leene finally paid off. Even those who thought she was a witch quietly remarked about how she looked. She began to regret listening to the two, because this dress was horribly uncomfortable; heavy and stifling. She had entered the hall in a trance, bedazzled by the splendor of the transformed room.

But the glamor soon wore off, and staying awake began to become a difficult task. as boredom set in. The problem was that there was no way to fix this; most of the townsfolk had long since stopped talking to her by choice of her unladylike behavior and also by Simmons' stories, and the others were all occupied in some way or another. In fact, after the day at the town raid, some of the people in the town crossed themselves and/or hid at the very sight of her. It didn't really matter to her though, all they usually did was complain. But tonight, she'd even had settled for a droll old farmer complaining about fixing a broken down fence. The fact that no one even looked at her again or acknowledged her in their sneering and smug ways hurt. She didn't like being totally ignored, even if it was all whispers, sneers, jests and rumors. Many were convinced by the help of Simmons again that she was an undercover agent for the mystics working for the Magus, though she shivered at the idea of ever coming face to face with her once- favorite character.

So, Eä stood alone near the entrance to the balcony, which had a rather nice view of the gardens below. The cool night air mixed with the warm party air making it the perfect temperature to fall asleep while watching the others dance about gaily. She stood in somewhat of a dazed stupor, not exactly asleep, but not far from it. Making her get up earlier that morning to help Leene get prepared for her big day was paying for it now. She hated getting up before dawn, and today was even worse because of the extra hour. A slight touch at her arm made her jolt to consciousness. Leene giggled faintly, and whispered,

"I'm sorry for waking you Eä. If you're bored, why don't you ask one of the men around here to dance? I'm sure they'd love to, since you look so stunning in your gown." Eä laughed lightly, but shook her head.

"No. I don't think they will. They know me as that freak girl who was supposed to die several times, but ended up with mystic powers and causes dangerous explosions and accidents. It doesn't matter though, I can't dance. Besides, I bet they're afraid of Cyrus saying something about it." Leene laughed full heartedly at this, seeming to smooth over the bit about her being a freak.

"Oh Eä! I'm sure that you dance well, you're just too modest! I'll find you a dance partner to prove you're wrong, if it's the last thing I do!" She dashed off, leaving Eä to only stand and sigh. She really didn't know how to dance, well, at least not their kind of dances. Ha! They'd all faint if they saw the kind of dancing and outfits Eä was used to seeing at parties! A smile crept over her face at the idea of some of the more obnoxious visitors falling flat on their faces as her friends showed them a taste of dancing in the future. God! Those parties had been so much more fun (and she hadn't really liked them before)! A soft throat clearing noise made her snap out of her reverie and look up.

Cyrus looked even more handsome if possible in his uniform. He still wore the purple cloak of the Knight Captain, but he wasn't wearing his armor, so he looked even more muscular than before. His normally tousled fair hair was brushed back, giving him a more dignified look, but retaining his look of gentle kindness. She smiled up at him, which seemed to make him pleased. She said jokingly,

"You know, I think that you're the main attraction here tonight, Cyrus, maybe even competing with the new royal couple. I think Glenn would be your only competition, but he seems to have run off to find a safe place to hide." Cyrus chuckled, and grabbed them each a drink. Since Eä didn't drink wine, she put it down on the table next to her. Someone would find it eventually, and they'd get rid of it one way or the other. Cyrus flushed slightly, suddenly remembering this.

"Sorry about that. You know, Miss Dinn, you sound a trifle jealous. And if that is the case than I must make it up to you somehow. Tell me how I might right the crime I have just committed." She wagged a finger at him menacingly.

"You don't need to give me anything else, you silly fool. This magnificent necklace must have cost you a fortune, but I thank you... But you can remember to call me Eä! And I'm not jealous, just sympathetic." He began to retort something back when a crowd of ladies swarmed over to him, pushing her out of the way. They fawned over him, making him retreat a bit with a startled look of fear.

"Oh, Sir Cyrus, here you are! We had gotten sooooo lonely !"

"Yes, Cyrus, why did you leave us so early?"

"Will you dance with me, Cyrus? This is my absolute _favorite _song!"

"No, he promised to dance with me first. Didn't you Sir Cyrus?"

Cyrus put his hands up as a shield against the advancing women. He looked over at Eä, who shot him a dirty look and began to storm off fuming. He pushed the women out of the way as politely as he could, and walked over to grab Eä's arm.

"I'm sorry, ladies, but I'm afraid that I asked Lady Areä here to dance with me before I even met any of you. Now, If you'll excuse me, we have to hurry to catch this song." He gently grasped Eä's hand and pulled her towards the floor, despite her efforts to free herself.

"No, Cyrus! I don't know how to dance! Let me go!" She began to break free, but Cyrus pulled her to face him.

"Then I'll teach you. Just follow my lead, and move when I do." Eä caught a glimpse of the girls who had been drooling over Cyrus, and saw that they were now attacking her with venomous looks and frowns. Eä sighed.

"Well, there's another four people who hate me. You know, I'm beginning to feel a little unwelcome here Cyrus, but I'm not a hundred percent sure why." She gasped as the music began, and lurched forward as Cyrus tried to begin to try to dance with her. Of course this had to be a fairly peppy jig, with complicated footwork. This song certainly sounded familiar... She tripped over her skirts and almost fell back. Cyrus caught her arm though, and righted her quickly.

"No Eä. You need to pick up your skirts so that you won't trip on them. Guess I kinda forgot to tell you that part." She gathered up her skirts, and Cyrus took her hand again. Just as she had begun to get the hang of it, the tempo suddenly changed to an even quicker beat. This caused Eä to trip over her feet and almost go back again. Cyrus moved quickly to come from behind her, and she fell back against him. She reddened, and tried to flee to the safety of the shadows, but he caught her arm again and turned her to face him.

He wasn't angry at her being a klutz, actually more amused than cross. He gave her a charming smile and picked up her hand again. She managed to get a sweeping glance around the room and spotted the new royal couple dancing. Richard had a look of complete happiness upon his face, and Leene seemed equally serene. Although she could be a bit dull witted and mousy at times a trait that reminded Eä of her descendant Marle , Eä was happy for her and glad that she was content. As the two swept out of her view, another familiar looking couple came into view. The man seemed to be having as much trouble as she was... Wait, that was Squall from Final Fantasy! And his partner, Rinoa, who was making him dance, just like Cyrus was making her! But he was better at it... Wait a minute, was this game-hopping allowed? Certainly she had seen other traces of it before in the towns, and Final Fantasy _was_ a Square title, but still...

She forgot about the two misplaced adventurers as she once again trod on Cyrus' foot, and she mumbled apologies quietly. She tried to follow his lead again, and was actually starting to get somewhat of a bearing on the steps when one of the jealous vixens had made her way over to them with an attractive dancing partner. The "lady" came close to them, and unobtrusively kicked Eä in the ankle. Eä fell forward onto Cyrus, who didn't seem displeased at all. Taking a quick glance at the sneering woman, she saw that some of the other nobles were smirking behind their gloves and fans. She got off of him quickly, and quietly begged him, "Cyrus, please let me go." He seemed unhappy to do so, but did as she requested, loosening his grip on her wrist. She quietly thanked him and retreated to the wall. Cyrus tried to follow, but a flock of women came over, making him end up being pushed back into the throng of the dance.

Eä soon lost sight of him, but was in a way relieved. Here by the night air from the balcony , she didn't have to feel enclosed in the tight ball room atmosphere, and would be able to nurse her injured pride. Well, that had helped brighten her day! She was on the brink of tears because she was tired, irritated, embarrassed, (maybe even a _little _jealous), pressured from all sides in this atmosphere, and.. and... and she didn't want to be on this stinking little planet anymore, even if it was a time from Chrono Trigger! She sniffled, and tried to compose herself. No point in giving these stuffy aristocrats a chance to strike at her when she was vulnerable. She perked up her ears towards a conversation between two noble ladies who had been smirking at her attempts to dance.

The elder woman spoke up in a tone of distaste. "You know, I don't think that she is a human. Cyrus may defend her, but everyone else is convinced she's up to no good. I think the young man has fallen in love with her, which is probably how _They _planned it. She's probably one of their agents, here to assassinate the royal couple after becoming friends with them" The younger girl looked up in slight confusion.

"They..?" The first woman looked angry.

"The mystics, you fool! I swear, all the young nobles today are just for show, and have nothing behind them! It'd be better if everyone was plotting against everyone else, then at least some of us would have brains and beauty." The young girl looked hurt, and whimpered.

"I'm not that stupid... But do you know what makes me really angry? I was talking to Freddy and he told me that he thought the girl was attractive. Can you imagine that? He said that she was even prettier than me!" The woman laughed, and nodded to a passing lord before continuing.

"She is. But I'm sure it's just a mask for a mystic naga-ette. Or maybe she is that lovely a human. If that's the case, I'm sure she's the Magus' mistress. No face like that would go unnoticed for too long, and I'm sure that he's noticed her, if he didn't select her personally for this assignment. She may not be a noble, but with a face like that, the young men will gladly look over that and let her get away with anything, even murder." The young girl smirked at this.

"Hah! That girl isn't a noble, that's for sure! She has the feet with the talent of ox trying to walk a tight wire! " The two burst out laughing, and the elder woman gave a sideways glance to Eä with a cruel smile on her face. Those two had known that she was there the whole time, and were knowingly making a fool of her within earshot! This brought Eä to a mixed emotion between rage and tears, so she left the still laughing duo as she raced outside into the colder air.

As she left, several couples quickly detoured away from her to go look at the stars farther away. She glanced into the room again to see if anyone was watching her before quickly making an escape into the gardens. She left so quickly, she didn't even notice that she was being shadowed.

Once she was out of view and earshot of the lovesick couples, she decided to vent, and released the flood gates. She couldn't hold it in anymore, and she was safe here; safe to cry until she died of dehydration. After several minutes, she managed to calm down, and dried herself as best she could. No point in returning all bleary eyed!

"No point in returning at all," she muttered to herself in a low tone. She took a deep breath and inhaled the cool air, then leaned back against a tree to gaze up at the stars. The constellations weren't even the same as home's, but they were close enough to give her a little comfort. A chilly breeze made her quickly rub her arms to try to warm them. The brisk air made her remember that it was still early spring, and there was still the possibility of snow. She breathed in deeply again, then closed her eyes. A soft chuckle brought her out of her reverie and made her open her eyes in shock, but she quickly closed them again with a sigh.

"Please go away. I do not wish to talk to anyone, nor do I wish to be the butt of their jokes. I've been insulted enough for one night." She heard the chuckle again, followed by a low but soft voice saying,

"I'm not here to insult you. Quite the contrary actually."

A waft of rose perfumed the ever increasing breeze in front of her, making her open her eyes slightly. They widened quickly when she saw that less than five inches from her face there was a deep red long stemmed rose being held by a pale hand. She gasped and followed the hand up the arm, past the shoulder, and up to the face of a young man.

Dressed in a simple blue merchant's vest, black pants, and a white shirt, he was as tall as Cyrus, though a bit younger. His dusty yellow brown hair topped a face with a fair complexion, though angular ( also somewhat familiar...) His eyes though... there was something in his purple eyes that disconcerted Eä. Something arrogant, angry and ...sad, in a way. He smiled down at her, his eyes softening, and offered the rose again. She frowned and turned away, crossing her arms in irritation.

"I'm sick of being the center of the town's jokes. Was this a dare someone put you up to, or are you being 'clever' on your own? Do you even know who I am?" The man laughed at this, and lowered his arm.

"Yes, I know who you are; I doubt there is anyone here who doesn't. You're the talk of the town you know, Miss Dinn. " Eä turned to him, puzzled, trying to guess what he wanted.

"Well... aren't you going to run off screaming demon, or are you going to try to shrivel me up with a cross? People have tried both you know, but no one has dared to talk to me." She got up to leave before he could throw any insults in response to this, but shrank back as he emerged from the shadows in front of her smiling. She stepped back nervously, and said,

"What do you want?" He stepped forward the paces she had just put between them, and took up her hand in order to make her clasp the rose. She stared down at the rose, then looked up at him nervously, waiting for his response. He was polite, but creepy too... He let his smile grow, and bowed slightly.

"Actually, Miss Dinn, I was wondering if you'd give me the honor of a dance."

He stepped back in surprise and pain as Eä dealt him a backhanded blow, and she threw the rose onto the ground, crushing it with the heel of her slipper.

"YOU-You-You baseborn bastard! How dare you mock me! I'd rather be ignored than confronted to be humiliated!" She turned around angrily on her heel, ready to storm off. She began to stalk off, but he grabbed her arm, jerking her back. She spun around enraged to tell him off, but froze when she saw his face. He was obviously peeved, his free hand rubbing his reddening cheek. He looked up somewhat angrily, his eyes flashing in irritation, but calmed himself down enough to argue reasonably.

"Listen to me! I'm not mocking you! I'm sorry if it seems like I did, but I really didn't mean to. I honestly do wish to dance with such a lovely lady as yourself." She studied him closely again, and saw that all his anger had been replaced with earnestness. He either really did want to dance, or he was a master of disguise and masks. Eä tried to break away, but his grasp was too strong. So she decided to try rely on her charm and sweet talk her way out of it, mustering up all the innocence she had as learned how to from Jessica to show upon her face.

"I'm sorry for striking you sir, it's just that I was insulted a little while ago because I can't dance. I would be most appreciative if you wouldn't mind me trying to avoid further embarrassment." She flashed him one of her most charming smiles and batted her eyes. He stepped forward grabbing her other arm and said,

"I swear that you won't be embarrassed if you do. I'd be honored beyond words if you would. Please." The familiar tingling feeling that she got when accidents happened began to travel up her arms from where he held her. She looked up into his eyes, her own slightly widening in fear. He smiled again and implored, "Please?" She gulped, then slowly nodded, making the tingling feeling begin to subside.

She walked along, as if entranced next to the man. He paused again at the balcony's edge, almost as if he was afraid to go in amongst the crowd. He smiled down at her and said, "We can dance here if you wish. The music is just as loud here as it is inside, the air is cooler, and fewer people will watch us here. Do you mind?" She shook her head, and smiled faintly as the man clasped her hand and put his other around her waist. The music started up again, this time in a slow dance. He showed her the proper position, then began to lead her about slowly. Eä looked up at her mysterious partner, paying no attention to the music.

He was kinda handsome, but not like Cyrus or Glenn. Her lips cracked into a slit grin at the fact that his ears were slightly pointed, giving a Link-like appearance to his already fascinating face. Now who was it that had elf-ears here...? She couldn't remember very well, she seemed to have fallen under a spell in which she could not break free to think or protest, only follow the man around the balcony slowly. The tingling sensation had seemed to add some talent to her feet, or maybe it was just her new teacher who helped her along... He smiled down at her, and a faint blush crept onto her face. She felt a little guilty because Cyrus could be watching, but hey, he wasn't anywhere in the small group of astonished onlookers and she'd been pushed aside before. He hadn't even come to comfort her when she ran out, so if he didn't like it, tough.

The music ended too soon, and Eä let go of him reluctantly. That was the turning point for her evening, since it had so far failed to live up to her expectations. The stranger grinned, and led her over to the balcony wall overlooking the gardens. "You see, you're just too modest. " She blushed and looked at him shyly.

"You're a wonderful dancer, Sir."

"And so are you, Miss Dinn. Everyone was wrong about you. Not only are you beautiful, you're talented too. What other hidden talents do you have that I could try to awaken? There is rumor that you have magic." Eä paled a little, and tried to back away, (though not too much...)

"I don't think I have magic, but odd things do happen once in a while when I'm around. I wouldn't call it magic, just freak accidents." She was reluctant to speak to a stranger of her problems, so she moved away a little more. Another rose appeared in front of her, a white one this time, and she giggled quietly as she accepted it this time. "Do you have a florist shop up your sleeve?" He chuckled,

"Something like that. What kind of accidents do you mean? Why don't you tell me all about it? We can sit out here in the cool air, undisturbed." She breathed in the rose, and sighed.

"Well... okay." She told him about the raid, the fish, the tree, and several other little "misfortunes" that had occurred every once in a while when she was working. He didn't seem to be amazed or doubtful, he just seemed to sit and think over what she said. She slumped down onto a bench, and twirled the rose between her fingers.

"You probably don't believe me. It's okay though, no one else does either. Or they do and think I'm a witch sent by Magus. I wouldn't work for him though, not even if my life depended on it!" He turned to look at her, an odd expression of his face.

"No, I believe you, it's just... odd, that's all. " She sighed.

"Yeah..." She looked up at him and laughed lightly. "You know, I've just told you about the last half year of my life, but I don't even know your name." He helped her to her feet and laughed at himself, all brooding from his face gone.

"How silly of me! I'm a merchant from Choras, here on a business trip. I'm staying with some friends who told me about you. You were right, they did put me up to a dare. But I'm glad I took it to talk to you, Miss Dinn. You're absolutely wonderful." She blushed at this, but pressed,

"Thank you, Sir, I had a great time tonight too. But what is you _Name_?"

"Ah, yes. My name is Janus Zeal."

Eä snapped back her hand and stepped back a few paces. All her happiness seemed to have drained out at the mention of that name, and the force of the spell had been shattered. She hoarsely whispered, "No, you're not." He seemed perplexed at this reaction, and came forward again, making her cringe back even more.

"What do you mean? That is my name, not the best, but mine all the same. Is there something wrong with it?" He tried to hold her hand again, but she yanked it away.

"Janus Zeal was a prince who disappeared more than a thousand years ago. You can't be him or you'd be-" She broke of abruptly, aware of the chilly wind again. "Janus'" face was in a state of shock. Obviously he didn't expect anyone to recognize the name for royalty.

"Why couldn't I be another Janus Zeal? Or even one of their descendants?" She shook her head fiercely.

"No. The queen... she was killed in the destruction of her undersea palace, her daughter disappeared in an earlier but similar accident, and her son Janus-" She backed up even more, and finished in a whisper, "Janus was sent to around the year 578-580 AD." This seemed to surprise him the most, but he continued advancing with a smile saying, "So I could be him." She shook her head again.

"You don't have blue hair." He paused, but added,

"It can be dyed." She backed up again, hitting the rail of the balcony. She trembled as he came over to pull her closer. She said in a low voice.

"If you were the Prince, than you are Magus." His fingers stopped abruptly, and he recoiled as though hit . He didn't speak for a few moments, but then let out a strangled,

"How can you be sure that this Prince is really the Magus?" She answered hesitantly,

"I-I know the past, present and future of this world. I know the basic life story of about seven people, one of whom happens to be Prince Janus. If you are him, then you'd better leave now before anyone else recognizes you." He began to change suddenly, his clothes growing darker and his features paling. His eyes flashed red as grabbed her arm and started to try to haul her off somewhere. She gasped, and he paused a moment, suddenly releasing her as if changing his mind. He backed up, saying,

"Well, perhaps you're right, Miss Dinn. I think I'll leave you now, but I know that we will meet again sometime in the near future. Goodnight, my dear lady." He kissed her hand gently , then started to walk off, melting in to the shadows. Before he was totally gone, Eä called out, "Mr. Zeal!" He turned to look at her, and she sniffed the rose in her fingers fondly.

"Even if you aren't Janus Zeal, you're still kinda cute. I look forward to meeting you again!" She winked, blew him a kiss, then turned to gaze up at the stars again.

Something that sounded like a snort turned her attention the other way, and Cyrus stood there, scowling. His outfit still gave him a look of supreme authority, but Eä simply looked at him and grinned. His brows furrowed, and he glared accusingly at the rose in her hand.

"I thought you said you couldn't dance, but you seemed quite able to for that young man who just left. A pity really, I wanted to talk to him very badly..." He cracked his knuckles, and looked off in the direction "Janus" had left. He looked back at her irritated, and frowned again. "He seemed to have said something that upset you terribly, but you still were flirting with him all the same. I don't understand you , Eä. If you didn't want to dance with me, you should have just said so." He gave her his puppy dog eyes and she laughed, coming over to put a hand on his shoulder.

"I think I did tell you I didn't want to dance. I've no idea how to do a jig, but slow dance is much easier, and I've danced them once or twice back home. As for flirting..." She brushed a hand over his cheek, then laughed. "From the appearance of it, you've been flirting with several ladies tonight, all with different lipstick shades too!" He blushed and tried wiping the smudges off with an end of his cape. This resulted in more smearing, so Eä took out her own handkerchief and rubbed them out herself. As soon as she stopped, Cyrus thanked her, but still seemed adamant about knowing what Janus meant to her.

"Why did he give you the rose then? I think that needs an explanation." She boxed him slightly on the shoulder, and looked up smiling.

"Mr. Zeal was acting on a dare, Cyrus. He was just a flirt, and he doesn't mean anything to me. Anyway, I probably won't see him again because he's from Choras, so forget about him. Now, to make it up to you, can I have the next _Slow_ dance?" He grinned, recovering his good humor and said,

"Why, Miss Dinn, you've read my mind. Shall we?" He held out his arm, and she took it, allowing him to lead her into the din again. He let go of her hand for a moment, telling her to wait. While he went off to go say something to the orchestra, she asked Jessica, who was standing a few feet away and chatting with some of her lady friends, to hold her rose for her. Jessica looked inquiringly at her, but Cyrus was back before she could ask for any information. Cyrus lead Eä to the center of the room and got into the proper position. She looked up at his wry smile, and titled her head in question.

"What's so funny? What did you say to them?" He held her closer as the music began to start up in a few chords, and whispered into her ear, "I told them to play a special song that they had been practicing earlier. They all loved it when they heard it, so they've decided to play it tonight. Don't worry, you'll recognize it in a minute." Sure enough, after a few more chords had been played, the soft and soothing melody of "Singing Mountain " began to wrap the crowds in a hushed and attentive silence. She gaped up at Cyrus, who smiled fondly.

"I told you you'd know it. It's a beautiful song, and one of the members of the orchestra had heard it when you first played it. He liked it so much he made an arranged version and used it as a practice song for the group. I came across them this afternoon playing it, and asked if they'd play it tonight for me." She smiled and put her head on his shoulder.

"It's beautiful Cyrus. Thank you for asking them."

They slowly made their way about the floor, and the melody ended with a soft chord. When she picked up her head to see where they were in relation of the room, she had just enough time to see they were surrounded by other couples who were busy getting ready for the next dance before she caught Cyrus' eyes. He smiled and drew her up to give her a kiss.

To say she was shocked is an understatement, but she got up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck. When they broke apart, she struggled for words, but found none. Then, she glanced about to see several pairs of eyes on them, and reddened. Cyrus simply shrugged, pulled her over to the side of the room and gave her another, a bit more nonchalantly this time. She looked up at him amazed, and he grinned sheepishly at her astonished face. He stammered out,

"It just seemed like the right thing to do at the moment, so I did it. Hope you don't mind too much..." She opened her mouth to tell him she didn't mind it at all, but closed it as another knight came over and slapped Cyrus heartily on the back. The man had obviously had one too many goblets of wine, and he threw his weight onto Cyrus for support.

"Yeah, Cyrus! Way to Go! Is this the Babe you said you had the hots for? You gonna marry her now, or what?" Cyrus seemed a bit bashful at this remark, and said instead,

"Hey, Scott, how about I take you out back and throttle you? I'll let you go out and get watered down in the stable troughs. In fact, I'll escort you there myself. I'll be right back, Miss Dinn." He put the man's arm over his shoulder and helped him make his way across the room to the exit.

Eä watched him as long as she could before losing him in the crowd, then turned to see Simmons standing behind her. She gasped and stepped back, but he stopped her by putting an arm in front of her. She scowled at him and pushed him away before turning to face him fully.

"What do you want, Simmons?" He sneered and took a drink from his goblet before answering.

"I just wanted to praise you on a performance well played. Or are you going to tell me that he kissed you?" She glowered at him, and asked again,

"What do you want Simmons?" He laughed at this, turning it into a cough. As soon as he was able to speak again, he looked down at her again.

"Same thing I wanted before, but this time I've a bit more at stake for you." She frowned and stared up at him.

"What do you mean? " He laughed and put an arm around her lowering it as he spoke, making her squirm in disgust under his unrelenting grasp.

"I heard your little fairy tale that you told Cyrus and Glenn. It was quite interesting, actually, and I thought that the King might like to hear it. I mean, not only are you the prettiest lady here, you also know the future of the country! Not a bad thing, if you ask me, but it only helps my case further still. If your little tale was told to the public, you'd either be called a lunatic, or you'd be burned at stake for being a mystic. And if everyone found out that you knew that Cyrus was going to die and he did, well, I'm not sure they'd be disinclined to believe that you had a hand in it. I-"

"Think you'd better leave, and I couldn't agree more. Good bye Simmons. Please take your hands off of Areä." Cyrus came over and pried the man's fingers off of her wrist, then put his own arm around her. Simmons sneered, but bowed.

"Of course, Sir Cyrus. I was just leaving. Do give me an answer soon though Miss Dinn, because if you don't, I'll have to take my business elsewhere. Good Night." He spun on his heel and faded into the crowd. Eä shivered as he left, but Cyrus wrapped his cape over her.

"I hate that guy... What did he mean Eä? What business?" She shook her head and rubbed her arms.

"He doesn't have any, he's just trying to be important. Thank you though. If you don't mind, I think I'm going to go to bed. I'm tired and I've a lot to think about. Will you tell Roberts I won't be able to take him up on his offer for a dance?" He nodded, and released her gently. He saluted her and said,

"Allow me to escort you, my lady. I'll make sure that none disturb you as you ascend to thy chamber to slumber." He held out his arm again, and she took it, despite the icy glares she was receiving form the other women in the room. She stopped momentarily to get her rose from Jessica before letting Cyrus lead her out and through the halls towards her chamber. At the door, she gave him another kiss and a hug before thanking him, bidding him goodnight and letting him float down the hall on cloud nine back towards the festivities below.

Magus teleported back to his castle, dropping his peasant disguise. The imp guards squeaked when they saw him, and straightened up as much as they could. He stormed past them and headed towards his throne room so he'd be able to think in peace. Unfortunately, Ozzie was there, reclining on his throne while eating something crumbly. Normally, Ozzie would have ended up a pile of charred bones on the marbled floor, but he just wasn't in the mood right now. Ozzie choked as he saw the Mystic lord approach, and hopped up to his feet in salute spilling the crumbs over the floor and blood-red carpet.

Magus swept past him though, and disappeared in a flash of light. Ozzie gaped at this, and decided to follow the mystic lord to have a chat with him. He followed the man up to his chambers where he melted through the door, and a quiet click could be heard. The fat mystic floated over to the door, and pressed his ear to it. He decided to try to open the door when a hand clapped him on the shoulder. He turned round to face Flea and Slash, both beaming in the fact that they'd caught him spying on their lord. Ozzie tried to indicate that Magus was upset, pointing to the door and making gestures. Flea immediately caught on, and pressed her ear against the door. Slash however, was having difficulties. After several attempts from Ozzie, he still seemed confused, but leaned against the door. The door suddenly sprang open, sending the three sprawling onto their faces. Flea jumped up wailing,

"I BROKE A NAIL!"

"Serves you right for trying to spy on my personal business." They scrambled to their feet, and bowed deeply to their lord. He was standing by a window, obviously irritated by something. He glanced angrily at the three before turning his attention to the moon again. Ozzie pointed to the strange behavior of the king, a smirk of triumph just barely hiding behind his mask of concern. He dared to walk up to him, and asked him a question that was nagging him.

"So, how'd your date with the girl go?" Magus spun to glare sharply at the hovering fool, then turned around fully to confront all three of his incompetent generals.

"Well, it went fine, except for the fact that there were several little things we talked about that I wasn't prepared for. She recognized me through the disguise, for one. Not even Cyrus could do that, but she did." They looked shocked, but waited for more information. He continued even more wrathfully, "So, why wasn't I told about all the accidents she caused? The incident with the poison, for one. I don't recall seeing that in the reports, though I can see by the looks on your faces that you _did_ know about it." Slash stood gaping surprised, Ozzie floated nervously, and Flea continued to whimper about her nail. Slash cleared his throat nervously.

"We figured the only reason she survived was because the poison wasn't strong enough. Nothing worth reporting, she simply ate it before the queen, thus ruining the surprise intended for Leene." Magus scowled at his audacious captain, and continued even more irritated and upset than before.

"Well, how about her knowledge of the future? Shouldn't that have appeared in the headlines of at least _one_ of your reports?" Flea looked up at this, and blew across her nails before answering.

"That's impossible! No one knows the future, not even us, and we have more magic in our pinkies than that little wench could even begin to fathom!" Ozzie looked at Magus, confused.

"So do you think she has magic, or just some strange psychic ability? Or even the more likely thing, that she was lying?" Magus sat down in his chair, pondering the same question he had been stewing over at the window again.

"I don't know. It doesn't seem like she was lying, nor does she seem to think that she has magic. She thinks she just happens to be in the area when odd things occur. But with the tree... it seems like she has an ability to kill violently, but also to restore life. I'm not sure, but she sounds like she has the potential of a magic I have not seen in years since... I think that we should interview this lady personally, right here in the castle. Then we can see if she's of any use to us, or if she's a threat we need to destroy." Flea seemed to forget about her nails and shoved the other two out of the way. Bowing low, she said,

"I am here at your disposal, Lord Magus. Just say the word and the girl is as good as here at your feet, begging for mercy." Slash stepped up beside her, blocking her from view.

"It's obvious that Lord Magus wants the job to be done, so I'm here for your commands. Unlike Flea, I will not buckle under the pressure if I am marred in any way. I enjoy a good fight." He brought out his slasher and began to run his finger along its blade, cutting his finger and allowing his green blood to flow down the blade. Ozzie also came over, but just bowed his head on account that he was too fat to bend at the waist.

"I won't go, because I'm no match for Cyrus. But I'll send my best spies out to get her while I prepare a set of "lock" shackles, just in case she tries anything." Magus glowered in disgust as the three began to bicker back and forth for the job. He finally pounded his fist on the table, making them quiet down immediately.

"Listen you idiots! Flea, Slash, you two can go get the girl. Ozzie, prepare the cuffs, and a room- magic proof, mind you." They all bowed and started to disperse when he shouted, "Wait, you incompetent fools! Do either of you even know what she looks like?" The silent interval made him continue. "Here, look." He drew up a window again, and after a few seconds of crackling, Eä's image appeared. As she came into focus, she could be seen still in her gown, sitting by a window. In one hand was the rose, which she twirled about in her fingers absently while gazing at it with a slight frown on her face. In the other was her new necklace. Flea laughed loudly.

"A lovesick teenager is an easy target for a kidnaping. We'll be back with her in no time, My Lord Magus!" They bowed and completely vanished, and Ozzie followed in suite, only nodding to the Mystic Lord instead of bowing. Magus watched Eä a few minutes more, and decided to listen in on her obviously confused thoughts.

"I shouldn't have told him that... Who knows what he'll do... I was so stupid! What if he wants to know more? He'll send those three sad excuses of henchmen after me, then I'll get caught! Then I'll have to tell him about the gates, and Lavos, and how his sister disappeared... Damn! I should be at home, sketching these people, not living with them! If I ever get out of this stinking world, I swear I'll sue Squaresoft for killing off or changing all good looking characters! Or for turning the cute characters into cruel but still good-looking warlocks... Drat! If that was him... And to think that he, _Magus_- Janus Zeal, was my favorite character! These people were so much more agreeable as cartoon characters! So much easier to kill off without a qualm... Crap, what am I going to do? I can't tell Cyrus, that'll kill him even earlier than he's supposed to die, and I can't let him die futilely going after Magus with the Masamune either. God, I can't tell him how all his hopes and dreams are going to be crushed when Magus lifts his finger and zaps him! I can't let him die, I don't care what will happen to the history of this stinking planet! If I let him go after the Masamune, I'd be betraying him and Glenn. Oh Glenn! I can't let him be turned into a frog! Why is life here so hard? Curse them all! If I was at home right now, I'd be destroying Lavos, not worrying about if a wizard is after me! On the other hand, he has magic, and he's been through the gates before, just like me. He's pretty much in the same boat I am. **And** he's kinda cute... Too bad he's intent on ruling the world... Oh, wait! He isn't! That was just a ploy to throw the mystics off his real original purpose of summoning Lavos! I remember now... Maybe if I do meet him, he'll have an idea of how I can get back home! Summon up a gate or something along those lines... If I do have to face him, I'll have to ask him. Hm, chuckle and I do hope I see him again!..."

Magus let the image slip, and it faded away. The girl was only upsetting him more; he had to find out what she had meant about a game, how she knew about his tactics, and what she knew about Schala... And, how he fit in with the seven she had mentioned before. Maybe even ask her about his future... Ah, well! Plenty of time to question her when she got here!


	11. Masamune!

Masamune!

Ch XI

Eä woke up early, the sun shining through a crack in the curtains onto her bed. She got up and walked over to allow more of the warm light flood the room. She smiled slightly at the sight of the rose in the vase on the table next to the window. She had sat up half the night wondering if the man she'd talked to had been Magus, and was almost positive that he had been. He'd kinda looked like Magus in the player's guide, minus the armor, blue hair and earrings. She'd come to the conclusion that it was him, and she'd done a very stupid thing in telling him she knew all about him. He'd seemed nice enough up to that point in their conversation, then he'd suddenly seemed to snap and warp into another man, trying to drag her off somewhere. She shivered at the idea of being taken to his castle, which looked creepy enough in the game. She would much rather go somewhere like Zeal...

A maid walked in, interrupting her thoughts. The girl curtsied and said, "Excuse me, Miss Dinn, but Sir Cyrus wishes for you presence in a meeting downstairs. The new King Richard and his good wife Queen Leene are also there, and will leave for their honeymoon as soon as the meeting is done. Master Glenn is here to take you down." Eä quickly got up and grabbed a dress from the closet.

"Thank you. Will you please tell him I'll be out in a minute?" She ran into the bathroom and washed up, then met with Glenn out in the hall. She tried asking him what the meeting was about, but all he said was,

"'Tis top secret, lass, or so I'm told. Cyrus wishes you to be there though, for I believe that he wishes you to help." He said no more, but they got to the knight's quarters quickly enough that conversation wasn't needed. Cyrus stood at one end of the square table, talking quietly with the man beside him, and across from him were Richard and Leene. Cyrus motioned her over to his left hand side, and Glenn sat down at his right. Everyone sat down and looked at Cyrus as he raised his hand for silence.

"My King and Brother, Richard, my good friends of the Square, welcome. I've called this meeting because I believe that we have found a way to destroy Magus." Several exclamations went up with this, a frisson of fear went through Eä's spine as Cyrus held up his hand again. "We have heard for many years of a legendary sword that would rid our world of this fiend, but until now, we have had no proof of its existence. But, sources have located the Masamune to be in the Denadoro Mountains somewhere, and I think that we should send a party after it." A young knight stood up to protest.

"But Sir Cyrus! We don't even know where in the mountains it is!" A murmur of agreement ran through the men again. Cyrus thumped his fist on the table.

"We can find it by splitting into parties. We know it's there somewhere!" Several protests began to be shouted.

"We don't have enough men to spare for that!"

"It could be broken!"

"There are mystics swarming the area. We wouldn't be able to get near it. Even if we did, Magus will have found out by the time we got there and would destroy us all!"

"The mountain is dangerous. No one has ever gone there to do such a thing, so no one would have any idea as to where it might be."

"I know where it is." Silence. Everyone turned to look down at Eä, who had mumbled it to herself and now writhed in her seat with all eyes on her. She blushed and muttered to herself, "Did I just say that out loud? Shit!" Cyrus gaped at her,

"what do you mean, Eä? You know where to go?" She squirmed in her seat and didn't answer immediately. Then, after a few minutes, she whispered,

"yes. But you can't go, it's too risky." A bit of laughter broke out amongst some of the older officers, making her sniff with irritation. Cyrus looked down at her though, dead serious.

"Are you telling the truth Eä? Or did you just say that?" She looked up at him for a second, but then lowered her eyes.

"I don't say things I don't mean, even to be nice." Cyrus sat down beside her and looked at her expectantly.

"Well, where is it then?" A captain stood up in irritation.

"My lord Richard, you cannot expect this girl to know what we ourselves have not been able to find in over ten years. It's an outrage to even consider listening to her! Not only is she here in a top secret meeting, she's a woman talking politics! I won't stay here to be told what to do by a girl, so if you'll excuse me." He stood up and left the table quickly, followed by a few others. Cyrus glared at their backsides, but then smiled down to her.

"Go ahead Eä. Tell us where to find it and how you happened to come across this knowledge." She shook her head obstinately, and said defiantly,

"No." Cyrus stared at her and said,

"what? Why not?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"Maybe because I don't want you to be killed by Magus, or Glenn to be hurt." He stood beside her, frowning slightly.

"You should tell us what you know if it can be of help to us Eä. Do you know where the Masamune is- the truth this time?"

"Yes. I saw how to get it in a- dream." Well, that wasn't too far from the truth. She often would think back on the moment in a kind of daydream when she thought of her old days back at home. Cyrus continued his interrogation though.

"Do you know how to get it? I mean, any steps we need to take in order to obtain it?"

"Yes."

"Then will you tell us?"

"No."

"**Why not?**"

"I already told you why not." She sat back in her chair annoyed, and Cyrus ran his finger through his hair, irritated. After a few minutes. He squatted down next to her and tried in a more gentle tone.

"Eä, do you realize the fate of the entire kingdom depends on this?" She glanced up at him again, but quickly lowered her eyes. By looking at him he was breaking her defenses; her determination to keep him ignorant.

"More than that relies on this, but yes, I do." He started again, feeling that she was weakening.

"You must realize it is my duty to risk my life for those of the people. Do you understand?" She closed her eyes tightly, and nodded. He lifted her chin up, making her look at him in the face. His blue eyes were imploring that she do this, while his face registered concern. Every bit of resistance was battered by his puppy dog eyes, and he knew it too. "Then will you tell me?" She sighed and nodded,

"yes, though I will spend the rest of my days regretting it." He smiled and helped her to her feet. She was about to begin when another soldier stood up, huffing,

"We don't have to listen to a woman, let alone a witch! My Lord, I think you should arrest her for meddling in affairs that don't involve her! And Sir Cyrus, I think she has bewitched you, you are weak and it will be your downfall. I will not stand here listening to this folly. If she does know where it is, then I'm sure her mystic alliances told her to lead her into an ambush. I suggest you all leave before you are poisoned by her words and lead to your deaths." Cyrus stood up enraged.

"How dare you, you cheeky cur! Get out of here now! And anyone else who feels this way should leave now too, or be quiet and sit down." Several other knights followed the other out the door, but everyone else sat down waiting for Eä to speak. She noticed out of the corner of her eye Simmons wink and then leave with a dark smile on his face. Cyrus smiled and helped her stand up again. She rose nervously and fidgeted with the edge of the table.

"I, um, don't really know all the exact details, but I know mostly what you need to do to accomplish what you want. First, you need to go visit the Frog King; he has the hero's medal, which is imperative to have. Then, you quickly go to the mountains where up at the top a small cave can be found. Inside the cave you will find two young boys; the protectors of the sword and the entities that give it power. You must fight them to prove you are worthy of the sword, and after that you have..." She forced herself to continue, "you will face the Magus." Cyrus patted her on the shoulder, but her whole stomach was turning and flopping. Cyrus inquired,

"And what will the outcome of the battle be? Did you see that in your dream?" She looked up at him unhappily.

"Which one?" He shrugged.

"All three, I suppose."

She drew in a breath and forced herself to form the words she wanted to say. "The first, you will succeed with flying colors, the second, you'll get injured, but the third... you will perish, and your companion will be ...marred for life. You can't go, even if it will screw up history as we know it." She sat down again, and Cyrus stroked his chin thoughtfully. Glenn stood up, and looked at Richard.

"I wish to go, my lord." Cyrus held out his hand for his friend and clasped it warmly.

"I had hoped you would, Glenn. Thank you. I think, my lord, for our third and final party member, we should have our trainee , Miss Dinn." Eä's head shot up, and an exclamation arose from the crowd. The king looked as surprised as the rest, and studied Cyrus closely.

"Miss Dinn? Eä? Why Cyrus? I'm sure she could just tell you the exact location of the sword, and she could remain here. That is an odd request, and before I give my opinion on it I should like to know your logic." Cyrus laughed and stood again.

"Miss Dinn has been trained by both myself and Glenn. She has not only fought before and done good service to the kingdom, she has also given us this information which will enable us to get the Masamune. I think it fitting that she should join us." Richard pondered this a minute, then spoke to Eä.

"I am all for your suggestion, Sir Cyrus, but the question is, do you wish to go Miss Dinn? I'm sure we will understand if you do not, for this will be a very taxing event." She looked up at Cyrus, then at Glenn. Both stood waiting expectantly, as if already knowing what her answer would be. She sighed and nodded her head, momentarily wiping away a small tear.

"I'll go, but only because I started the mess and shouldn't wait peacefully for you two to return when you won't be. I'll try to stop the course of time from flowing as it should, and I don't care if it ruin's the game's subplot of revenge." The two seemed happy, but a little unsettled and confused with her response. Richard, on the other hand, smiled and stood up.

"Well, then that's all settled now, so we can leave. You can have a month to prepare for this journey, and when we get back you can go. This meeting is adjourned." The knights followed Richard and Leene as they walked up and out of the conference room, leaving Eä and Glenn alone.

She sat in her chair, stunned and horrified. "What have I done?" she moaned to herself, and Glenn came over concerned.

"Eä...? Are you alright?" She looked up as he sat down, and sniffled a little.

"Glenn, Cyrus is going to die and it's all my fault! And you're going to be..." She broke off at this, and began weeping silently in her lap. Glenn put an arm around her as she continued.

"I've sent you two off on this damned mission, and now neither of you are safe! Glenn, you have to help me stop Cyrus! It's the only way I'll know that you two are going to be alright!" Glenn frowned slightly at the idea of trying to stop Cyrus once his mind was set on something. He moved over closer to her, and allowed her to lean on him in a light embrace. He stroked her hair, and looked down smiling.

"Don't worry Eä, not all dreams come to pass. I swear that I will not let any harm come to you." She looked up, confused.

"What do you mean, Glenn?" He smiled again, and continued,

"I will not let the heart of my best friend come to any harm, no matter the peril. Surely you knew..?" She didn't respond, but she wasn't surprised. In addition to last night, Cyrus would every so often say something or look at her making her know that he cared. He seemed infatuated with her, and she was rather taken to him too, but she couldn't be in love with a corpse... She stood up determined.

"I've got to tell Cyrus the truth!" Glenn was upset by the sudden movement, and almost fell over backwards, just catching the edge of the table in time. He looked on as she hurried from the room, and murmured to himself,

"Yes, but which truth would that be...?" He sighed, then walked up the steps where the King and Queen were departing.

----------------------------------------

Simmons made his way through the woods quickly with a triumphant smile on his face. He had been assigned to accompany the new couple on their honeymoon getaway later on in the month, giving him the perfect chance to speak to the King about his little tidbit of news. He was now related to the mighty Sir Cyrus, so wouldn't he want to know the background history of his brother-in-law's heart? Even if Richard didn't believe a thing Simmons said, the young king would want to go and tell the lady what he had heard, and she wouldn't-couldn't lie to the man. Even if he didn't pry into her past then, he'd surely tell Cyrus and Glenn. All they would need were a few words or events to trigger their memories, then they'd remember.

Although Miss Dinn thought they'd never remember a thing from that night again, he knew better. He'd seen the Knight Captain and his friend in a much worse state and still they were able to recall a few things. All he needed was for the two to remember a little bit, then that would lead to the girl's undoing. Personally, he had nothing against the young lady, despite the fact that she thought he was lower than dirt. He'd feel the same way if he was her, but he had to be cruel to her to bring absolute humiliation and defeat to Cyrus and make his revenge complete. He sat back on one of the downed logs a minute, trying to recall the events that had taken course that fateful day.

_Simmons and Cyrus were both young pages, assigned to wait upon one of the meritorious knights of the Square table, Sir Edward. The two split chores fairly evenly, doing a little of this and a little of that, swapping jobs when the task became too monotonous. It was on one of their traveling excursions that they had decided to swap jobs, Cyrus getting the job of carrying the bags in, while Simmons got the job of taking care of the horses. It had seemed a fair enough switch to him at the time- that was, until they reached the middle of nowhere and the heavens decided to pour down upon them. _

_By the time they had reached the inn where they were going to stay, the troop was sodden and chilled to the bone. Simmons saw Cyrus happily take the bags down from the horses and carry them in to the comforting warmth, leaving him to take the horses to the rundown stables behind the house. He grumbled and led them back to the small building, muttering about how unfair it was to stick him with the dirty work, and an idea struck him as he was leading the miserable horses into the barn. Surely, Sir Edward wouldn't mind if he went into the warmth of the inn for a minute, just to warm his bones? He left the horses munching the hay peacefully, and dashed into the torrential rain to bolt into the doorway. _

_The knight and young Cyrus looked up as he entered, and the knight had inquired about the horses. Simmons said they were fine, because they were, at least, they would be as soon as he had snuck back to the barn after he'd eaten and the rain let up a little. Edward pushed a plate towards the boy, and Simmons sat by the fire, drying his muddy clothes and eating the warm food with relish. The knight soon fell into a discussion in which Simmons had great interest, though now he could not recall what was said. Hours passed by without him realizing it, and before he knew it, Edward was ordering them to bed. The two headed up to the room they were to share, and the knight continued his conversation with the innkeeper. As they reached the top of the stairs though, a sudden chill ran through the young boy Simmons as the knight said he'd forgotten something in the stables. _

_As Edward headed out in the still pouring rain, Simmons felt his stomach lurch. A few moments later, the knight ran in, hollering for the two boys to come down at once. Cyrus and Simmons came down the stairs immediately, Cyrus half dressed in his nightclothes and rubbing an arm over a sleepy eye. The knight scowled at Simmons, and beckoned the two boys to follow him out to the stables. There they saw what Simmons was afraid of : the horses were gone. Edward began to holler at the top of his lungs to shout and yell at the terrified Simmons, and then the knight turned to use Cyrus as an example of a better boy. But he found the young boy gone, the only trace of him being his nightcap. Simmons immediately took the opportunity to blame the young boy of his fault, but the knight didn't believe a word. He sent the unhappy Simmons to bed with promises of a fitting punishment the next morning. _

_When he awoke the next morning, he went down, expecting to find the stern Sir Edward with a strap ready for use. Instead, he found the knight kneeling over a bloodied Cyrus, tending the boy's wounds. As Simmons reached the bottom of the stairs, Edward turned to face him, his face contorted with wrath and concern. He curtly ordered the boy to sit, the turned his attention back to his wounded page. As soon as Cyrus had been bandaged, the knight sent him to bed, then turned his attention to Simmons. He would never forget the way the knight had spoken to him, and he remembered every word like they had just been spoken. The knight told him that Cyrus had gone immediately to find the horses, and had eventually found them. The problem was that they had been stolen by imps, and Cyrus had had_ _to kill them in order to get the horses back._ _After the knight had finished telling him of the brave Cyrus' actions, he told the mortified Simmons that Cyrus would become a Squire as soon as he had healed fully, but that as soon as they had gotten back to the castle, Simmons would not need to show up for practice. And so, Cyrus healed, became a squire only to become a knight soon after saving the King's life._

_After the old knight captain was killed in battle, Cyrus moved on to become the new knight captain, while Simmons had been left to choke on the ashes of his destroyed future. He swore that he would get revenge on Cyrus for ruining his chance at becoming a knight, and now he had his chance._

Hah! Now he had his chance, and there would be no stopping him from tasting the victory that Cyrus had denied him that night long ago! He grinned at the thought of the witch burning at the stake while a humiliated and depressed Cyrus watched on. Miss Dinn had had her chance to free herself from worry of this little situation, but she had refused his bed, and therefore had brought it down upon herself. He probably would have just used her for a while anyway, then still would have turned her over to the king after he'd grown tired of her. He would not let anyone get in his way of revenge, not even the Magus could stop him!

He suddenly came back into reality and was surprised to see that he was face to face with several mystics of various types. They all had their weapons pointed at his heart, and the one that seemed to be in charge motioned him up. He smiled and stood, then whipped out his blade, slashing it down on the unfortunate imp that got into its path. But he was soon overpowered, and he was brought to his knees as a pair of boots walked up to stand in front of him. A thin sword point motioned him up again, and he looked up to see that he was face to face with the purple mystic swordsman, Slash. Behind him, a lady with pink hair in a braid came up and blew across her nails before speaking to him.

"We've been told, human, that you were the one who slew one of my best spies, who had reported to us that he had some important news to give us. When he didn't come back, we sent another after him, and he found him dead, sliced in half by a human and robbed of any notes he had made. Then, another scout said that he had seen you cut the spy in half and then take something from him. I don't care about the spy, he's history now, but I want the notes that he had. So hand them over." She kneed him in the gut, making him double over clutching his stomach. When he could at last speak, he said raspily,

"I don't have them. I burned them. But-!" He glanced up as mystic imps made as if to chop off his head. "I do know what the contents of them were. I'll tell you if you promise to let me go unharmed." Flea sneered, and kicked him again, though not with as much vigor as before.

"Why should we bargain with you, human? You're not in the position to barter with us, even if it is for your life." She laughed at this, unnerving Simmons a bit, but he calmed himself enough to say,

"I know the weakness of Sir Cyrus. His downfall would be the ultimate revenge for me, and his removal would be handy for both you and I. Any fool knows that he is head over heels for the Lady Dinn, but only two people know her past; herself and me."

Flea seemed astonished at this, and Slash picked up the soldier by his vest. The purple swordsman glared into the man's eyes, trying to see what the man was hiding.

"Well then, tell us what you know human, and I might be persuaded not to slice you from neck to navel." Slash outlined the path he would butcher Simmons with the tip of his sword, making the man flinch slightly. Simmons decided to try his luck with making a deal though.

"I'll tell you- as long as you promise my safety." Flea smiled sweetly then, and made her way back over to the captured soldier. She ran a hand over his face, then stopped to hold his cheek in her palm. "

Oh, I swear that you will not be slain by either of us." She suddenly grabbed his hair and smashed his head down on her rising knee, rendering him unconscious. She threw him down on the ground, and threw back her braid, laughing.

"I'm just not sure that lord Magus will promise the same fate."

When he awoke, he was bound with his wrists and ankles tied together. He shook his head, trying to make the room he was in focus. He heard a dark chuckle and a, "so, you're awake. It's about time." He blinked his eyes a few more times before the room finally became visible. He saw who had spoken and his mouth went dry.

"Magus..." he whispered, and the mystic lord smiled in acknowledgment.

"So, you do have a few more wits than Flea and Slash said you did. That's good. Now, to get down to business. I was told that you had information for me. Have a seat." He motioned over to a chair off to the side of the blood-red carpet, and the bonds fell off of Simmons. The soldier got up warily and sat down on the chair, never taking his eyes off of the reclining Lord. He nodded after a few minutes and relaxed, seeing that the man across from him wasn't about to kill him or torture him into speaking. The Mystic human on the throne laughed again and shook his head, obviously reading his mind clearly.

"Oh no, I'm not going to torture you unless you refuse to speak. If that becomes the case though, I'll be glad to, if you want me to. But I'm sure it won't come to that, now will it? Go ahead and tell me your story, and make it good. I don't appreciate being disturbed from my work and then having to wait three hours before you finally wake up to find out what it is you wanted to tell me." Simmons blanched and started to recite what he had heard, all the way from the moment the three had walked into the inn from the time that he had left. The Magus sat back, his face remaining unmoving and hiding all expression. After a few minutes passed, he looked back down at the man before him and smiled.

"Well, that was... enlightening. Do you have anything else you wish to add before I release you?" Simmons shook his head as he stood up, somewhat relieved at the mention of his release. As he prepared to get ready to dash off, the Magus smiled again,. And held up his hand.

"One more thing before you go..." Simmons spun around to face him again, a questioning look on his face.

"Yes Lord Magus?" The mystic leader tilted his head in slight inquiry.

"Why did you decide to betray your country and your country's hero's girlfriend? Surely you did not move on account of your enthusiasm for the mystic cause." Simmons grit his teeth in the mention of the knight captain.

"An old promise of revenge for the knight, and a close shave with death by the girl's hand. She almost burnt me to a crisp with what appeared to be magic, then denied it when she was questioned by Cyrus, blaming me because I'd been to a pub a bit before. But I know what I saw, and she's as much a witch as you are a wizard- if you'll pardon the example. I'm giving you the information that I know you can put to good use, because the king of our country is young and foolish. He has befriended her, and he would not cross his brother-in-law by mentioning any peculiarities about her. If I give you her past, at least I know that you'll act upon it." He turned to go again, but Magus held up a hand.

"Thank you for the information, It was... interesting. Now, I want you to prepare yourself- For the void!" He pointed at Simmons, and a large black hole opened before the terrified soldier. He scrambled to get away from the suction of the vortex, but lost the struggle. The hole closed up without a trace of its victim left. Magus smiled , then turned to Flea.

"Flea, next time you bring in a babbling idiot, a lot worse will happen to him- and you. I don't appreciate my time being wasted by peasant scum." He stood up and dissipated to return to his room, leaving Flea to stand about in an irritated stupor before heading off o her own quarters.

Eä ran up the stairs and passed through the gathering crowd quickly, searching for Cyrus. She spotted him at last, giving his sister a goodbye kiss. Their wagon began to roll off, and the happy couple turned back to wave a farewell to their subjects. The knight escort followed them closely, watching the woods for any signs of mystics. As the escort moved out of sight, Cyrus turned around and headed back through the swarms towards the knights quarters. Eä scrambled to catch him before he left. She had to tell him(when he was sober this time), and if he really did love her, he'd have to come to terms with her real identity. He stopped a minute, giving her enough time to catch up to him. When he saw her, he smiled and paused so she could come to a stop next to him.

"Hello Eä. You just missed Leene, but she said goodbye. I was just going to go get ready to-"

"Cyrus, I need to talk to you." He smiled and looked down at her.

"I really need to go and get ready Eä. Can't it wait till later?" She shook her head, and pulled him over to the side of the hall so he couldn't leave.

"Listen to me! You can't go into the mountains! I won't let you be killed by Magus, and I won't see Glenn be turned into a frog! You are not going, even if I have to poison you, bind you or sabotage the mission myself!" He looked somewhat affronted by this, but seeing her attempt to be threatening burst into laughter.

"Oh, Eä, you worry too much!" She fumed and grabbed his other hand before he could go.

"And you don't pay attention to warnings! You're going to get killed, and you don't even care! Well, if you don't care about yourself, at least consider Glenn. You don't want to ruin his life, do you?" He smiled and leaned over to pull her close in his arms.

"Eä, I think this will come out differently and you're just worried. I can't be killed by the Magus if I have the Masamune, and Glenn can't be turned into a frog if I'm alive- I won't allow it. Besides, you know he hates flies!" She liked the feeling of his arms around her, but felt she was losing the battle in that position so she pulled away to face him.

"But Cyrus, I've had this dream a lot! I don't want anything to happen to you or Glenn! You both mean to much to me for me to allow you to go off on a silly mission that I know is doomed. If you aren't thinking about yourself, at least think about me. What would I do if I let you go off and get killed? You're the only reason I'm still here in this kingdom, surely you know that." He smiled again and drew her closer, this time planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Don't worry, everything will be okay. You trust me, right?"

"Yes, but-" He stopped her complaint with another kiss.

"Then leave everything to me, alright? I swear that I will not allow any harm to come to you or Glenn, else I'll perish protecting you." He held her close for several minutes, ignoring the people nearby who were whispering as they moved along. At last, he let her go and looked down at her again.

"Now, I've got to go get ready, so if you'll excuse me..." He kissed her hand and then walked off, his purple cape billowing in the breeze. Eä sat there, feeling as though she'd been poisoned again, with bile churning in her stomach. She got up and walked back into the castle, feeling miserable and depressed. Cyrus was going to die, and it was all her fault! She was so weak, she should of stood up and shouted in his face that she wouldn't have told him even if he tried torturing the information out of her! She balled up her fist angrily and punched the wall , making a popping sound and sending a jolt of pain through her wrist. She sat down again, nursing her sore knuckles. Well, she did that to herself too, and she was paying for it now. She was still sitting there feeling glum and sorry for herself when Glenn came over and sat beside her.

"Something vexes thee. Art thy not well?" She looked up and smiled lightly.

"That's "thou" Glenn. Not thy." He smiled and took her injured hand in his.

"I know, I just thought that you'd feel better if you had something to take your mind off this new mission. You know, you don't have to go if you don't want. Cyrus would understand. And God, girl! When did you break your fist? I never noticed it, but it's almost healed! You never seemed in any pain when you practiced... You can skip today, if you want. I'm just teaching the knights a new technique I made up. I found it's very effective, but there is no way you can learn it in this condition. How did it happen?" She took it back and rubbed it, making the red subside more.

"I just pummeled the wall. Another one of my great ideas that ends up making people get hurt. Glenn! You can't let Cyrus go through with this! He's going to die, and it will be all my fault! Please say you'll try to talk him out of it!" She looked up at him imploringly, her eyes brimming with tears again. Glenn flinched, and didn't respond. She took hold of his shoulders and pleaded again. "Please Glenn! I can't let anything happen to either of you! Please say you'll help!" He said softly,

"You know how stubborn he is, Eä, but... I shall try." She stood up and gave him a tight hug.

"Thank you Glenn! After this has all passed, I'll be able to sleep in peace! And, I'll be able to tell you more of what I know." He looked up surprised, but she was already heading down the corridor and heading for her room to go change for practice. He said quietly after her,

"Mystic or no, I think you know more about what is going to happen to us than you are telling. I'm sure there's a reason, Eä, but I don't think that you will be able to tell us in time to stop whatever it is you're afraid of happening. Cyrus won't listen to me, Lady. He's as stubborn as you are."

Eä did go down to practice, and though half the soldiers left saying that they wouldn't spar with a girl or witch, several wanted to try their luck against one of Cyrus' and Glenn's pupils. Try as though they might, no one seemed to be able to defeat her except Glenn. "It makes sense, considering I've had fencing lessons since I was about five." But no one, including Eä, was able to perform Glenn's new attack, "Leap Slash". After about three hours of workout, Eä decided that she needed a nap before dinner, considering that there was little else to do with everyone gone or busy. She made Glenn repeat his promise of not forgetting to talk to Cyrus, then headed up to her room. On the way, she met Jessica taking a walk with a young noble of the court. Jessica smiled when she spotted Eä, and hailed her over to meet her companion.

"Eä, this is Jonathan, a good friend of the family. Jonathan, this is Areä Dinn, a good friend we met early last fall." Eä smiled and nodded politely, wishing for nothing more than the soft coolness of her feather bed. Jonathan, however, blanched and bowed trembling, obviously having heard the name from a source no doubt much along the lines of Simmons' report and the ladies gossip the previous night.

Despite the fact that she occasionally enjoyed trying to find out what they really thought of the rumors about her by playing blockhead, she wasn't in the mood. She politely excused herself and hurried to her room, leaving Jessica with the tense nobleman. She closed the door behind her quietly and sighed in relief at the inviting sight of bed. She usually didn't take naps in the middle of the day, but she'd gotten little sleep last night and the aching bones from her attempts to jump as high as Glenn had and land on her feet were now begging her plop down into the dark recesses of the sheets and fall into a sate of complete oblivion.

She really wanted to do as all the sore joints were commanding her to do, but her curiosity shoved the whining parts to the side as she noticed her table with the single white rose and the box with Cyrus' gift in it. The rose was silhouetted against the morning sun, and under the vase was a note that had not been there that morning. She moved over to the table and picked up the note, turning it over in her hands. A blood-red seal with a scythe and what seemed to be a crest of someone rather important was stamped over the opening, so she took out a dagger and used it to lift the wax. In smooth Guardian script, a short letter was enclosed. She could roughly translate it, thanks to hours of being shown the various characters by Leene and Jessica.

_Miss Dinn, _

_I'm sorry to have disturbed you last night. I had a wonderful time, you were lovely in your dress. Please excuse me for leaving so quickly last night , I had urgent business to attend to. I can assure you that we will be meeting again **very** soon, so I look forward until then. These are for you, as a token of my enjoyment of last night's festivities._

_Janus Zeal_

She looked up and gasped, the room quiet except for the soft shuffle of the note hitting the ground. There in the vase was her rose, only now it was surrounded by dozens of the deep red roses. She'd be tickled to death normally that any guy would wish to send her roses, but there were several thing that disturbed her about this bouquet. Firstly, that it hadn't been there three seconds ago. Secondly, that they were probably- no, pretty definitely sent by Magus, meaning that thirdly, they indicated that he knew who she was, what she knew, her past year's events, and that he was probably interested in knowing more about her. She backed up, not taking her eyes off the table, and stumbled into something hard. Shying away from the object, she turned to face the object she had collided with.

Almost immediately she wished she hadn't, and tried to sneak her way to the door. But, the blue-purple mystic was not alone; his pink haired female companion was standing in the middle of the doorway, blocking the exit. Ea drew back, and glared at Slash and Flea.

"What do you two freaks want? I've got no time to waste with you, I'm due for a date with my pillow, so unless you came for anything in particular, go away." Slash grinned and advanced, cracking his knuckles as he spoke.

"Now, is that any way to thank the delivery boys? I think that it's really the white rose that brings the whole thing together, don't you Flea?"

"Shut up and grab the girl, Slash. I don't want to be here all day." Slash glowered at Flea's remark, but none the less stepped up in a stance as though he was about to wrestle a horse to the ground. Still holding the dagger, Eä held it out, showing Slash that she was armed and he'd get scratched if he came near. He stood up straight a minute, looking at the dagger.

"Shit, you're a lefty... I HATE fighting lefties! Flea...!" The female mystic sighed in exasperation, and shot a bolt of light at Eä, hitting her in the hand making her drop the weapon. He lunged at her, narrowly missing as she ducked to the side. Being disarmed, the only weapons she had left were her hands. As he spun around to try to get her again, she attempted the jump she'd tried to learn with Glenn. She was barely able to keep her balance as she landed, but she'd gotten to the other side of the room, farther away from the two. Slash looked impressed, but Flea just sneered and shot at her again, this time hitting her in the stomach. Eä doubled over, leaning on the doorpost as Slash walked over to try to get her again. She tried to punch him in the stomach as he strode over confidently, but he only gave a small "oof!" sound, before grabbing her arm and pulling it around her back sharply. She winced and stood still, trying to figure a way out. No one would be around here at this time of day, not even a stray guard. He chuckled and said,

"Not too tough, are you? Hah! You're pathetic! I don't sense any magic in you whatsoever. Well, I'm sure Lord Magus could find another use for you, like his-"

"Slash! Shut up and lets go! I don't want anyone to find us here, especially not-"

"Unhand her at once you Mystic scum!" Cyrus burst through the door, slamming Flea into the wall rendering her unconscious, and drew out his blade. Slash sneered at the knight, tossing Eä onto the floorand kicking her under the bed. He unsheathed his own blade, and charged at the knight captain, only to find his sword waiting and blocking the attack. They tried to hack away at each other, their swords clanging and flashing in the midday sun pouring through the window. They seemed to be in a dance, both methodically countering the other's move with a deft action of his own. The duel ended when Slasher was deftly cut out of Slash's hand, and clattered near the bed. Cyrus moved over to pick up the blade while Slash backed up towards Flea's slumped form. Cyrus picked up the blade and threw it at Slash, saying,

"Take it and go, coward. I've shown who the true swordsman is, so now you can go back to your Magus and tell him of your defeat. Take your woman and go, and if you ever try to lay a finger upon this lady again I swear that I will slit your throat as soon as I see it. Get out of here, now, before I decide not to be generous and take your life now." Slash deftly caught and replaced his blade, and, picking up Flea, shouted in retort,

"You haven't seen the last of us yet, wench! We'll come upon you when you least expect it, and then I won't be quite so kind hearted as I was today." He disappeared, leaving Cyrus to extract

Eä from under the bed. She growled a rather rude remark about the tall mystic as she used Cyrus as a crutch to pull herself onto the bed.

"Why that &$#$!&)#$!" Cyrus winced as she listed several new names for Slash, and shook his head.

"A lady of your class shouldn't use words like that Eä. I'm not saying you're not accurate, it's just that most wouldn't approve of that type of language from a lady. Just try not to let it out when you talk to the medic." She shook her head and pulled the covers back.

"Forget the medic, I want sleep. I'm bruised, that's all, and I'm not going to move from here until I've gotten at least two hours of sleep. The mystics won't try anything else soon, so I'll deal with them later. So, don't worry, and don't you dare pick me up and drag me to the medic like you did last time! But... Thanks. If it hadn't been for you, I probably would be somewhere mucking about in the mystic's castle." He frowned at her stubbornness, but his face lit up when he remembered why he was there in the first place. Walking over to the door, he picked up a trampled bouquet of daisies and handed them to her sheepishly.

"I felt bad because I saw how upset you were this morning, and I wanted to make it up to you. They're not much, but..." She smiled and put them in the vase with the once again solitary rose.

"Thank you Cyrus, they're beautiful. I love daisies, how'd you know ?" He smiled, and reopened the door.

"I didn't, but I saw them and figured, why not? I was also going to come and say goodbye, since I'm leaving for Choras to settle some disputes. But if you want me to stay..." He turned around to face her questioning, but she shook her head.

"No, don't worry about me Cyrus. I'll be fine here, I'm surrounded by soldiers and the idiots won't be coming back for a bit since I'm expecting them to show up at some point. Go ahead, I've held you back from your duty long enough, I'll be waiting here for you when you get back, k?" He nodded and stepped into the hall.

"Well, alright... Just make sure that someone knows where you are at all times. The mystics are not something to play around with, Eä. They mean business, but I think you're right in that they won't come again, at least for a while. If anything- and I mean ANYTHING- pops up out of the ordinary, report it to me at once." She gave him a salute, saying,

"Yes sir, Sir Cyrus! May your journey be uneventful, or at least eventful with good things instead of bad." He smiled and returned the salute, closing the door quietly behind him. Sinking back into the covers, she sighed in content. She gave one last glance at her flowers before sinking her head into the pillow and allowing sleep to envelope her completely.

Slash teleported into one of the many corridors of the mystic castle and dropped his burden onto the floor with a thud. Flea stood up angrily, pulling out a mirror to straighten her untidy hair while shouting at Slash.

"Why'd you do that, you oaf? Never drop me again, you fool, I'm too beautiful to by dropped. If you had any sense you'd- Hey, wait a minute. Where's the girl?" Slash looked guilty and pulled out a knife, mumbling something as he eyed the keen edge. "What?"

"I couldn't get her. If YOU hadn't been knocked down by Cyrus, we'd have had both of them in our grasp right now. It wasn't my fault that I couldn't handle them both at the same time. She was struggling, and it's hard enough to fight against Cyrus without an obstruction."

"So you both failed me again. How typical." The two spun and bowed to Magus as he materialized in front of them. His face revealed nothing, but the tone of his voice betrayed his irritation. Flea looked up from her bow.

"My Lord Magus, we just ran into some trouble, that's all. I'm sure that if I was allowed to try again, I'd be able to-" Slash tried to intervene a word, but Magus cut them both off.

"No, Flea, there's no point. You two idiots have ruined the surprise, so we'll just have to wait until she's not being watched. Maybe after the royal couple return in a month, then the security will have relaxed a bit. But next time, you go out with a plan, not like you're going out for a picnic. And if I hear that either of you have tried again and failed, I'll find an amusing way of humiliating you before executing you for disobeying orders. Now, either go think up a plan, or try to get the troops into shape. I need them in tip top condition for the attack on Poore in the next couple of months, and the imbeciles you have right now couldn't scare away a grandmother. I don't care what you do, just don't live up to my expectations and sit around being useless."

He turned on his heel, leaving the two in their still bowing positions. As soon as he had finished vaporizing through the wall, they pulled themselves up angrily. Slash started flipping his knife up into the air in irritation, growling,

"You know, a year ago if he'd said something like that to us, he'd be bedridden for six months. I don't care what Ozzie says about him being the most powerful being on the planet, that brat has only gotten worse as he grew up." Flea tossed her braid over her shoulder and began to fiddle with the bow.

"You know, if we get the girl, he'll back off a little. Then, while he's busy playing with her, we can begin to figure out a way to conquer him with our limited resources. And if he decides she's not that interesting and gets rid of her, we can find another distraction. I won't be bullied by the brat forever. We'll just wait till his guard is down, then we'll make our move." Slash frowned at her, and began to pick his nails clan with the tip of the blade.

"But he said not to try anything. I don't know about you, but I don't think he'd be willing to let us slip up again." She glowered at him and whipped her braid back into place.

"What are you, a human coward? Where's your sense of mystic pride? Being bossed around by a human, I can't believe you.." Slash stood up and replaced his blade. "

No, I'm not afraid, I just don't want to end up dead, or stuck in human form like the last few who opposed him. Besides, he's stronger than us." Flea shook her head.

"Not if the girl doesn't turn out to be a dud. We can then use her by training and guiding her towards a path of hatred for Magus. Then, when he tries to bug her, she'll snap and blow him away. Or, if she ends up liking him and he likes her, we can accidently send her off on a doomed mission, making him vulnerable when she's either captured or kicks it." Slash grinned and cracked his knuckles.

"Well, then. We'll just play it cool and see which way the dice roll, then move when opportunity knocks!"


	12. Farewell! We leave for Our Journey!

"Farewell! We leave for our Journey!"

Ch XII

A month passed quickly, and the castle was soon bustling with activity, trying to prepare a welcome home feast for the royal couple. They were due back any time now, and that meant that it was any day that the threesome would be heading out to challenge the Frog King. Glenn hadn't been able to change the bull-headed Cyrus' mind, and Eä began to get worried. If things continued in the way they were headed, then the future would remain unchanged and Cyrus would die. Why was he so stubborn? She'd gone up to him several time during the month, but he was either always busy or would simply say something about how dreams rarely come to pass. This made her extremely irritated, making her want to throttle him because of his stupidity for not listening to her and her frustration with his all too happy replies to her warnings. He could be so exacerbating some times! She was only looking out for his benefit... She'd already tried to think of some ways to stop them, but the only ones popping into mind were poisoning and drugging. She'd never poison one of them, but drugging wasn't out of her league...

All too soon, the royal carriage pulled up in front of the castle doors, and then knights all lined the stairs for a grand welcome home. A feast was laid out for the entire castle, and the couple retired soon afterwards, exhausted from their journey. Eä was sitting in the knight's practice area, trying to come up with some brilliant sabotage plans, when a servant came down and said that the Queen was summoning her. She quickly ran up and changed, then met Leene in her private apartment. Leene smiled as she saw who it was and motioned her to a chair. Eä sat down, but was nervous and worried. Maybe Leene would listen to what she had to say and she'd be able to order Cyrus not to go... Leene sighed and shook her head. "You didn't hear a word I just said, did you?" Eä shrugged apologetically.

"Sorry... What did you say, your majesty?" Leene shook her head.

"It doesn't matter, but don't call me that. Leene is who I am, there doesn't need to be any formality between us. But I wanted to ask you something... Did Cyrus... ask you anything while we were gone?" Eä tilted her head, perplexed.

"What do you mean, ask me something? Nothing out of the ordinary, mostly about why it is I never block a specific attack that he and Glenn always pull on me. Why, was he supposed to ask me something?" Leene giggled and blushed, shaking her head quickly.

"No! Its just that... I don't want to pry, but... That is, you don't need to tell me if you don't want to but... Do you love my brother, Eä?" Eä looked down at her feet, this time it was her turn to blush. She replied,

"I do have feelings for him, yes. I wish I could help him and make him understand that, but he just won't listen to me. I just... want him to be safe, but he won't listen to me, and he won't believe me, even though I tell him over and over that I don't want him to be hurt." Leene sat down next to her, looking sympathetic.

"I think one of the reasons he doesn't want to stop is because he doesn't believe you found out about the Masamune's location in a dream. Am I right in that?" Silently, Eä nodded her head, so Leene continued. "Could you tell me how you know for a fact that your prediction will come true? I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to, not even Cyrus."

"I'm... sorry... Leene. I... just can't. Not yet. I promise that I'll tell you everything once this year has passed and Cyrus and Glenn are safe, but until then, I can't tell. I'm sorry. If I can't prevent those two from leaving, then I'll leave with them , but with you I'll leave an explanation of everything. Is... that... alright?" Leene nodded and stood up, walking over to her window.

"Yes, I suppose so. I still don't see what is so important it needs to be kept a secret, but... I'm sure it's all for the best. I'll help you in any way I can, but I can't stop my brother. He's so hardheaded... Oh well. All things must pass, and everything will work out in the end... Oh! Here I am, babbling on when we're both supposed to be getting ready for dinner tonight! I'll let you go get ready, and I'll see you soon. But Eä-" As Eä headed out the door, she turned to look at the Queen. "Don't forget, I'm always here if you need to talk..." Eä nodded and headed to her room to get changed once again.

Her fine gown was laid out, the same she had worn at the ball. She quickly got into it again, and took out the necklace Cyrus had given her. She only took it off when she had to practice, and only because she had to then. Though tonight was a private dinner, it was a celebration which called for finery. Tomorrow they would head out to get the Hero's Medal from the Frog King, then they'd continue on to go get the Masamune... Would they be able to get that far? Would Magus show up, even if they kept their mission a secret from the towns folk? She didn't know, but she hoped for the best.

Cyrus came by a little later to escort her down to dinner, dressed in his uniform and smiling happily. She gave him a weak smile and held his arm through the corridors, listening to him merrily chat away about what they were going to be doing after they'd returned from the mission victorious. He gave her hand a squeeze when she just sighed in response, but continued to tell her about the events that would happen with Magus' downfall. They reached the dining room, dimly lit by a few candles, only to find that they were early. They sat down one chairs off to the side, and Cyrus stopped his constant flow of banter for a while. After they'd been sitting in silence for a few moments, Cyrus turned to her, a slight frown on his face.

"Eä, are you really that worried? You haven't said much... Do you want to tell me anything else?" She thought a little bit, then nodded.

"I guess so... Yes. I may as well tell you everything, since your future is dependent on the information. But I don't think you'll believe me..." He took her hand and kissed it lightly.

"You know that I will listen to anything you say, my lady." She smiled but took her hand away.

"If you did listen to me, you wouldn't be asking me to tell you everything. I understand how much that hurts your trust in me, knowing that I know something that will change the future as we know it, but it was for your own good! I guess It'll have to be after diner though, because-" She broke off as Glenn led Jessica into the room, and a few moments later Richard and Leene walked in, both smiling happily and sitting down quickly. The others took their places at the table, and Richard motioned the guard over.

"If the chancellor comes by looking for me, tell him that I'm busy and don't want to be disturbed. Or if he insists on seeing me, at least knock before entering so I'll know when to put this hunk of metal on again." He pulled of his crown and tossed it to a nearby chair. The soldier smiled and nodded, then left and closed the door. Leene began telling them what they had done while they were on their honeymoon, and Richard would add a comment once in a while. Jessica began to speak rapidly about the gossip that was going around the castle, and Richard started to get into a discussion with Cyrus and Glenn about the knights, for some reason being uninterested in the news that Jessica had heard from Sandy who had heard from Sara who had heard Bethany telling April and so forth... Their dinner arrived fairly quickly though, so the five stopped their individual conversations and spoke of the mission the next day. Richard stood up, taking his goblet in hand and raising it.

"To the mission tomorrow, and to our three brave friends who are going! May your road be easy, and may you return unharmed! And to all the times we've shared together, may we never forget them. Let us drink and be merry, then may your journey fare well!" Everyone raised their goblet and drank in unison, but some were happier than others. Eä sipped the drink and then put it down, her stomach doing butterflies thinking about the next day. She'd acquired something to help her try to stop the two from leaving, but she didn't think it would be strong enough to stop either of the dedicated men. She sighed softly and ate a little, then pushed her plate away when she could force down no more. The five continued to chat as though nothing was the matter, but she noticed that Cyrus would give her a sidelong glance every once in a while. They maintained their conversations for long into the night, but when Leene was no longer able to stifle her yawns, the royal couple bade the others good night, leaving only to return when Richard had remembered to bring his crown along with him. Glenn offered to take Jessica to her room a while later, and when they left Cyrus stood up.

"Miss Dinn? Shall we go for a walk ere I guide you to your chambers? I want to talk to you alone..." She stood up and followed him out of the room, allowing him to choose the course of their stroll along the twisted corridors and dim hallways. They ambled along at a slow pace, not speaking but simply enjoying the other's presence. They stopped by a window, and Eä paused a moment to peer out. The moon was filtering through the wide opening, and illuminating the grounds below with a soft glow. She gazed at it halfheartedly, wondering if she'd actually be able to tell him the truth, this time without anything to buffer the story. She turned to him and opened her mouth to speak.

"Cyrus, I know you won't believe me, but I'm really from another pla-" but Cyrus closed it with a kiss. When he let go, he pressed a finger to her lips, shaking his head.

"You don't have to tell me Eä. I trust your judgement, and I don't want you to tell me something that you don't want to. You can tell me anything you want when you're ready."

"But-"

"When you're ready, not now. I was thinking about it over dinner, and I think that you and you alone will know when to tell me the truth. Not another word about it now, alright? I trust you." She sighed and smiled.

"Thank you Cyrus. Now if only you'd listen to me when I tell you what to do..." He laughed and pulled her against his chest, resting her head on his shoulder.

"You know that I must go, don't you Eä? I'd listen to you if I could, but the fate of the kingdom rests in my hands. I cannot forsake my sworn duty, no matter how much I might wish to at times. Ea, it is my duty to put my life on the line for the kingdom, even if your... dream does come true. And... if it does, and I DO die... I want you to promise that you will protect the weak, and never try to kill unless you are attacked first. Promise me that." She nodded slightly and softly replied,

"I promise Cyrus. I won't fail you." A smile flickered across his face. "I know you won't." They stood like that for some time, silent silhouettes against the dim moonlit opening. She listened to the rhythmic beat of his heart, and sighed once again. Cyrus lifted her head to give her a smile and another kiss before saying he would return her to her room. He walked her back the rest of the way, and gave her another tight hug, whispering not to be afraid. She bade him good night and stepped into her room. Closing the door, she noticed an odd smell in the air, so she moved over to the window and opened it to allow the fumes to escape. She headed over to the bed and scrambled into it, trying to block out thoughts of what would happen the next day.

She was almost asleep, and thought she was when a shuffling noise in the room made her open her eyes. Standing in the window was a fat goblin, climbing into the room carefully, so as not to upset the table or the flower in the vase. She waited until he was fully in the room, then coughed politely, her hand resting on a dagger under her pillow. It stopped and stood perfectly still, not daring to move. But as she sat there just gazing at him, he seemed to get nervous. Sleep was beginning to come back, but she was interested in the reasons behind the fool's entering her room, so she inquired,

"What are you doing in my room, mystic? Unless you've got a really good reason for bothering me at this hour of the night, I suggest you go away. I can be very grumpy when I lose sleep." He squeaked and jumped as she continued to stare at him. Then he managed to gather up the courage to speak.

"H-h-how? How you see me? Why you awake? I put enough gas in room to put out strongest man, why you still up?" She yawned and sat up, still keeping her hand under her pillow. She wouldn't have to use brute force though, this mystic wasn't the brightest in the lot, she could tell. She smiled stupidly and pointed to a chair.

"Have a seat! I don't know why I'm up, but we can talk while I am, right? You can tell me why you came in here, because I'm sure you didn't climb up that dreadfully steep wall just to come in and see me. You didn't get hurt, did you? I hope not, because I rarely get to talk to mystics." He sat down in the chair, making himself comfortable despite the heavy hammer he had slung over his back. He looked confused and worried, so she put on a worried countenance as well. "What's wrong sir? You loom anxious." He scratched his head.

"Me told to get lady who asleep in this room, but you not asleep. Me must have gone into wrong window. But me thought this was right one!" He looked scared then, and she tried to coax out some more information.

"Well, other than being asleep, what else does this lady look like? Maybe I can tell you where she is."

"I don't know. Lady-Sir Flea tell me she human in this room, room she put sleepy gas in. She said Master wants Lady who asleep, but me find you here, and you not sleeping!" Despite the fact that she was trying to keep her face pitiful, her face contorted briefly with a twinge of fear.

"I see... And what does your master want with this lady?"

"He want her so he can- wait, me figure something out! You sleeping Lady, but now you awake! Me not go into wrong room!" He jumped up and waddled over towards the bed, bringing out his hammer. "Me not care that you not asleep. Me put you to sleep now." He raised the hammer to give her a blow that would probably put her to sleep longer than a night or two, but she put up her hand.

"Wait! Why don't you come back tomorrow night? I'll be more ready for you then, and we'll be able to move quicker because I won't be struggling!" He paused, the hammer still poised to fall. Cautiously he asked,

"Why you want to come easy? Why tomorrow?" She looked down innocently, twiddling her thumbs.

"Oh, no reason! I just want to get a good night's sleep before I have to be locked up as a prisoner. You understand that, don't you?" He seemed to be considering this, so she continued. "If you come back tomorrow night, I'll be here and waiting or you. You won't have to try to haul me over your shoulder, then when you take me to Flea or your master you can say I was too weak to put up a fight! You'll come back tomorrow so I can get some sleep, won't you?" She gave him a pitiful look with round sparkling eyes, and he put down his hammer to scratch his chin again. He glanced up at her, thinking.

"You not run away during day? You not tell strong Cyrus man to save you? You come quietly down castle wall with Orkgle so he can take you to master for reward? You very brave, or very silly. Master said he make you slave, force you to do what he wants. You still come though?" She felt chilled but nodded vigorously.

"I'll be here, waiting for you and your Master. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" She blew him a kiss as he climbed out the window, then waited about half an hour before locking it. He was nowhere in sight, but she had just wanted to make sure he wouldn't be coming back. Now, she was actually looking forward to going on the mission tomorrow. Make her his slave? Make her do as he wished? Hah! Not as long as she was a normal human! She shivered, and wrapped a blanket around herself. Now she definitely wasn't tired. She stood up and opened the door so Cyrus could come sauntering in, and he jumped up on the bed to begin to give himself a rigorous bath. She sighed and sat down next to the window, stewing over the incompetent mystic's words. Cyrus, apparently done with his cleaning, miaowed and leapt up onto her lap, rubbing his cheek against her for love. She happily obliged and said to the rumbling feline,

"well, Cyrus, guess what? I think I'm in trouble again. A mystic was in here-I'm sure you can smell him- and he said that Magus wanted to talk to me. Not only do I have to worry about Cyrus getting burnt to a crisp, I also have to worry about a pretty warlock who's after me. Why I ever left home is beyond me. I must be losing my mind. I mean, look at me! Here I am, living in a medieval castle with knights around, I'm in love with the knight captain who's going to die any day now, and I'm talking to you, a cat. I really must be crackers..."

"_I'm not the one who's rambling on Eä, I'm just the one receiving the rubs. A little lower please. I suppose listening to you whine is repayment enough, though I wish you'd just settle for a good purr and shut up."_

She laughed, and continued to stroke the cat, only a little lower. "I **am **losing my marbles! Hahaha, I could of sworn you just spoke! Imagine that. I think I'd better go walk off whatever I ate, because it's going to my head. Wanna come Cyrus?" He meowed and jumped down again, moving towards the door. She laughed again. "And, to top it all off, it looks like you understand me! Hahaha...! I think I need a drink." She opened the door and headed towards the kitchens, pausing by the window that she and Cyrus had been at earlier. She sighed then continued on, past the various familiar wall hangings, down the stairs and into the silent kitchen. There she found Glenn, sipping a mug of steaming something and writing some notes down on a piece of paper. She turned to go, not wanting to disturb him, but she stepped too loudly and he called out,

"Come on in. I won't bite. At least, not too hard..." He smiled and turned to see her, then reddened and stood up. "Oh, Eä! Hello! I didn't know it was you! Why are you up so late? You should be in bed, getting some sleep. You'll need it for the trip!" She walked over and sat across from him after pouring herself a mug of mulled cider. Cyrus settled himself below her, not interested in having a drink at that time. She swirled it around before drinking it, and answered,

"I couldn't sleep, that's all." He sat down again and put away the documents he'd been working on.

"I know. You're worried, and you think something bad will happen to us. And-" He lifted his mug up to take a drink before continuing. "You think that you are the one responsible for our fates. But you're not. I don't think you realize that Cyrus and I both had good ideas of where the Masamune lies, even before you spoke at the meeting. You just confirmed our guesses, that's all. And as for the hero's medal, Cyrus wanted to go and get that anyway, because he thought that it shouldn't be held by a mystic supporter. Does that ease your mind any?" She sighed, but smiled and nodded.

"Yeah... But I still don' want you two to go. I got my facts about the Masamune from an entirely different source than you two, and mine is a _LOT _more accurate. No, I'm not going to say a dream is more accurate, so lets just say that I've given Fate a hand more than once in this time. Don't look at me like that! There is a sort of sense to what I say, and I'm not being egotistical. I just don't want you two to get hurt, because I know what's going to happen but I haven't been able to stop you. I just wanted to give you sporting chances against fate..." She drained her mug in a gulp, and Glenn, refilled it as he spoke again.

"Frankly, Eä, I don't care what happens to me. I want to be able to help my friend and sovereign King in any way I must. Even if that means that I must kill another being, I will. If I am to die or be injured by the mystics, I will do so, for the sake of the kingdom. I am not a knight, but I hope that I will be remembered with love. And you, fair lady, must remember that we are not children, but grown men. We will pay for our own mistakes as Fate sees fit. Now get to bed." She laughed and sipped her cider again.

"You know, Glenn, that was the first time you've ever scolded me without speaking in olde- I mean, High English. You're losing your touch." He clunked his cask down loudly.

"No, I'm just bushed, that's all. Now get thee to bed, Lady, or I shalt call down the night's guardsman and tell him that I caught thee in the act of leaving dirty dishes on the table. If thou wish it, I shall accompany thee to thy door, then bid thee good night." He left his cask on the table and said, "Let the cook have a grand old time tomorrow fussing over someone leaving dirty mugs on his nice clean table. By the time he finds them, we'll be off." He took her hand and almost tripped over Cyrus, who had taken a space below her feet. The cat stood up angrily and sauntered off to nurse his injured pride before he noticed that they two were leaving him behind. He ran off in front of them, almost upsetting Glenn again, and was waiting for her when Eä arrived a few moments later outside of her door.

Eä hefted her pack a little higher on her back. She had said a quick goodbye to Jessica, Leene and Richard, as well as the rest of the knights before heading out with her pack to wait for Cyrus and Glenn to hurry up. She had left a letter addressed to Leene under the queen's door, explaining where she was really from and what she was trying to stop from occurring. She had also left a little note to Roberts and Martin to watch her room that night, because she thought something might happen in there... She glanced back into the castle, and saw Cyrus speaking to Leene and Richard, and Glenn standing by the door. She caught bits of their conversation as the queen bade her brother good bye for the last time.

"And Leene and I need you. You must return to us!"

"As long as there is life in these bones, I shall return!" The proud knight captain turned around and headed out the door, apologizing to Glenn for being late. The two stepped out into the morning light, and picked up their sacks. The royal and friends walked out as well, and waved in farewell. Eä glanced up at the place that had been her home for so long, and then moved her gaze down to the people who had been her friends for so long. Leene was hanging onto Richard, but both were waving energetically. Jessica was unobtrusively holding hands with Martin, who was slightly red about the cheeks. Roberts smiled warmly, and the badge which left him in charge while Cyrus was gone sparkled brightly The knights who weren't on duty waved from the portcullis, and the servants all waved their farewells as well. The threesome turned and headed off into the woods, and soon the place she had grown to love so well vanished from sight...

Eä looked about cautiously, trying to spot any signs of frogs in the silent bushes dotting the path here and there. She was nervous: Today, Cyrus would defeat the Frog King. Today he would think that he was invincible. Tonight they would celebrate. But tomorrow... What was going to happen tomorrow? If she didn't stop them... Well, maybe she'd think of something tonight. Her earlier plan hadn't worked, or maybe it just hadn't been potent enough to make Cyrus sleepy... But heck, maybe what would happen tomorrow wouldn't happen as it did in the game! She certainly wasn't in the game, so maybe she'd be able to block the blow meant for Cyrus. Since her last little "episodes" with death hadn't gotten anywhere, maybe she'd be able to survive what Cyrus couldn't! Or maybe it would send her home!

Cyrus broke her line of thought by stopping suddenly when they reached a clearing and putting his pack down by a large stump. He walked over to the bushes, and stood with his hand poised over a rather bushy specimen. Glenn put down his pack and waited, silently bringing out his sword from its sheath. Eä put down her things too, but didn't get out her blade. Cyrus suddenly ducked into the bush and resurfaced victorious with a struggling Mystic frog in his grasp. Holding onto the small amphibian, he shook it back and forth, trying to get it to speak.

"Where is your master, the Frog King, you mystic scum? Tell Me! Tell me where he is!" The poor mystic's eyes were bulging out of his head, and he had a look of pure terror upon his face. Eä shook her head and took the frog from the over-excited knight captain.

"For heaven's sake Cyrus, don't be cruel! It can't respond when you're squeezing its life out of it! Give him to me. Alright you. You heard him, so where is he?" She put him down on another stump and crossed her arms. It stood up almost immediately to hop off, but after seeing Glen and Cyrus coming closer with their blades drawn decided against it. Eä stamped her foot impatiently.

"Answer me Frog! Or I'll let Glenn make you talk!" Glenn fingered his blade, and Cyrus looked downcast because he hadn't been chosen. The small slimy thing quaked in fear, but shouted,

"His majesty shall hear of this!" Seizing the opportunity, the little critter jumped over Eä's head and bounded into the bushes. Cyrus and Glenn dashed after it, but Eä simply sat down and pulled out her dagger to clean her nails. Huffing angrily, the men called over to he from across the little clearing.

"Why did you do that, Eä? We could of gotten some answers out of him!" She blew across her nails, not bothering to look up.

"You'll see... You'd better back up, he'll be here any minute." The two men started to babble about she had no idea how important this mission was when a rumbling sound of heavy footsteps could be heard in the direction the frog had hopped away. Standing up, Eä pulled out another dagger and stood ready to back the two up. Cyrus and Glenn turned to face their adversary, who made his stunning appearance a few seconds later.

When she saw the gigantic frog, she had to turn around to keep from bursting out in laughter. Cyrus and Glenn too, had to grit their teeth to keep from chuckling. Seeing he created humor from his entrance rather than fear, the large frog swelled himself up even more, giving him a more ludicrous look. He sneered at Cyrus and Glenn's swords, and croaked in laughter.

"So! You want the Badge of Courage, dear knight of the kingdom? Well, come and take it... if you can! Grribit..." Cyrus held up his sword and shouted,

"Prepare yourself, pollywog! En guarde!" Leaping in front of the startled amphibian, Cyrus shouted, "Nirvana Strike!" Pummeling the frog several times in seconds, the knight leapt back next to his friend. The great blubbered creature was shaking fretfully.

"GRAAAACK...! How dare you pick on a helpless amphibian! Filthy Medal! I won't forget this!" Tossing a small metal object onto the ground, the Frog King and his assembly raced away in a hasty retreat. Cyrus sheathed his blade and walked over to pick up the round disc. He rubbed it vigorously on his cape, trying to get any dirt there was on it. Glenn and Eä walked over to see what they had come out to get. She was somewhat disappointed when she saw that all it was was a tiny shield-like pin with a picture of a knight upon it and the simple words, "Hero's Medal" around the rim. Cyrus seemed pleased though, as did Glenn for not having to fight at all. Cyrus pocketed it in one of the many compartments of his suit, then turned to face them.

"Well, that was easy. Almost too easy.. Oh well. Lets get into town before any of those sad excuses for mystics get the idea to come back here in greater number. You know what that means, Eä." He glanced at her attire and she sighed, and turned to her pack to pull out a simple linen dress.

Moving amidst the trees for a few moments, she reappeared in the plain attire, and found that Cyrus had also changed out of his armor into a simple vest and pants like Glenn's. They picked up the packs again and headed off towards the edge of the woods where a few horses were tied to some trees. She frowned as soon as she saw a horse with a side saddle, and walked over to the munching horse. She quickly undid the girth before Cyrus could ask her what she thought she was doing, and she dumped the saddle onto the ground. Cyrus made as if to protest as she hopped up onto the barebacked animal, but Glenn backed her up.

"Cyrus, very few peasant women ride side saddle. They have more sense than the women of court. But it won't look right if we're on saddles and she's not. Here Eä, ride my horse." She shrugged and got down again to get up onto the other mount. They took off in the direction of the main "road", a dusty trail with grass and rocks cluttering the path. After traveling for what seemed several hours into the late afternoon, they decided to stop in a small inn at the edge of Dorino. The place was surprisingly full, considering it was in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday. Glenn took the horses into the stables while Cyrus and Eä went inside to get a table for a quick late lunch. They sat down at a table and were just getting their drinks when Glenn walked in and sat down beside them. They were quietly eating lunch when the door to the inn burst open and a man dressed in merchant clothing raced in shouting,

"The Hero has come! We're saved!" Several of the farmers who had been boisterously laughing at stupid farmer jokes burst out into even greater howls. Several of the less inebriated men hurried over, alarmed and hopeful.

"What? The hero? He's been found? How do you know this? Do you know where he is? Tell us man!" The man sat down at the baron one of the stools and accepted a full cask of ale before beginning in his tale.

"It's all over the town up north. The Hero's medal was retaken by the Hero and his friends. He will save us all from Magus and the mystics! Three cheers for the Hero!" Another man raced in and shouted once again that the sudden appearance of the Hero had been noted, so many of the men began to cheer loudly, clanking their mugs together in celebration. Cyrus murmured quietly to the other two ,

"I think we'd better get out of here. NOW." They stood up together and started to walk over to pay for the drinks. Glenn left to retrieve the horses and Cyrus paid the barkeeper. He motioned Eä to follow him out the door , and she nodded, only to be blocked by a drunken fool with a rapacious grin on his face. He locked his arm around her and squeezed her bottom.

"Hey Love. This is big news, the hero being here. Why don't you come help me celebrate?" Holding her firmly in his grasp, he led her to the back of the inn where the rooms were. He let go of her below to try to force her to kiss him, but she bit his wrist and jabbed her knee up into his gut, forcing him to double over. She hit him across the back, bringing him to the ground, and spryly leapt back as he tried to stand up again. Shakily holding the chair, his eyes widened then narrowed. He coughed before speaking.

"I know you now. You're that viperous female that the town was talking about! Hey boys, look! It's the witch! The witch that was sent by Magus to kill the King! Get her, Kill Her!" She turned around to find the men from the bar swarming over in her direction. So Simmons' lies had reached here too... She blocked a clumsy blow from a small robust man, and pushed him into the crowd to force them away. Turning fully to the crowd, she was able to keep several people away until her former attacker grabbed her from behind. Her had obviously learned something from being bitten, as he held her arms under the shoulders. A man raced over, swinging a stool like a club. This was going to hurt. Badly.

She winced slightly as she saw it approach, but as the stool went into it's final arc, a thump sound camp from behind him and he dropped to the ground senseless. She squirmed as the grip was tightened, then loosened. She burst free of his hands, only to be caught and held in a stronger vice-like pair of arms. She tried desperately to escape until she realized that it was Cyrus holding her protectively. He let go, moved behind her and grabbed the man up by the back of his shirt, holding him high over his head before sending him crashing into the wall. He walked over to Eä, who stood staring at the mess he had caused. Holding her in her arms, he looked down, concerned.

"Are you all right? Did that bastard hurt you? I didn't even notice that you were missing.. I'm sorry. I think we'd better go now. " He turned to face the exit, making the men hide behind their bar stool again. The room was perfectly quiet, save for the quiet tune a man was humming to his beer. In an even and calm voice, he said, "'Gentlemen' if there is a problem with my company, then take it up with me. Never touch her again, or I'll kill you with my bare hands." The man who had been smashed into the wall cowered in the corner under Cyrus' "I'm-better-than-you" look. The two walked off quickly, and found Glenn sitting on one of the horses with the other two's reins in his hands. Hopping up onto her mount quickly, Eä looked back at the small inn's door where many heads were peeping out. They trotted off quickly, making sure they wouldn't be followed. As they passed out of sight of the small inn and into sight of town, Glenn said,

"We'd better hurry. News spreads like Wildfire out here, despite the distances between the places. We don't want our mission to reach the ears of the towns folk before we do." Cyrus made as if to pick her up off her horse and put her on his own, sheepishly saying,

"We could go as farmer and wife..." She shot him a look that told him no, and she confirmed this by saying, "Or as traveling companions. You don't want to draw anymore attention to us, do you Cyrus? I'm fine, I can ride by myself. Let's just get there, okay?" She urged her horse on and it sped off towards the distant town. Cyrus shook his head in amazement as he turned to Glenn.

"How many riding lessons have you given her...?" Glenn shrugged his shoulders, also surprised.

"No more than three..." They followed her rapidly shrinking form with their eyes until Cyrus laughed and spurred his own mount to follow in suite.


	13. The Truth Will Set You Free..... or Not.

The Truth Will Set You Free... Or Not.

Ch XIII

The three went to a slightly better to do inn, making sure that they were covered up so as not to be recognized. They ordered two rooms; one for the men and one for Eä. They ordered dinner to be brought to the men's room, asking not to be disturbed by anyone. Cyrus and Glenn scanned the maps once again, pointing out various points that would be dangerous and problematic. Eä was also there, but she wasn't adding much to the conversation; she was worrying about the future. So much had happened while she was here, and this seemed to be the climax of it all. She was guilty of lying to her friends, witchcraft or some sort of weird power, and, if tomorrow's events went on as planned, being responsible for the death of her close friend.

Dinner came, and the men hastily put their maps out of sight to quickly fill their empty stomachs. Eä played with hers a bit, the growing fear in her gut stopping her appetite well enough. At last she stopped trying to make herself hungry by playing with it and pushed it away with a sigh. Cyrus and Glenn looked up, both somewhat anxiously.

" Eä...?" She stood up, heading for the door.

"I'm not hungry, that's all. I'll be in my room if you need me for anything." She opened the door and went out, letting it quietly thud back into it's place. The two looked at each other across the table, neither knowing what to say. Glenn was the first to speak.

"Are you going to go after her or what? I think she's upset because she thinks something bad is going to happen and it's all her fault."

"What can I do? She's been so moody as of late, I've been afraid to approach her. She either tries to snap your head off or bursts into tears and runs away. I just don't understand women..." Glenn slammed his mug onto the table angrily, startling his friend with his strong emotion.

"I don't know, just go do something! You said you cared for her, so go care for her now when she needs you! Don't let her get away if you really love her!" Cyrus stared for a minute, not knowing how to respond. Glenn calmed down a bit and sighed. "Look, I'm sorry for snapping at you, I guess it's just that I'm a little jumpy. I'm worried about tomorrow too. But for right now, you need to go and tell her how you feel. I don't know if that would help her, but I think it's worth a try. I... don't think that tomorrow is the only problem that's worrying her, so you should also try to find the truth of her concerns. Just go to her." He went back to his dinner, and Cyrus sat several minutes pondering his friend's words before getting up to leave. Before exiting he dug through his pack on his bed, found what he was looking for, and pocketed it quietly as he left the room.

Walking over to her door, he took a deep breath and tried to calm his many emotions. The other two were worried, they showed it in their appearances- Eä especially. But why wasn't he afraid? He wasn't worried about getting the sword, which was all that they were going to do tomorrow. He was a bit apprehensive about confronting the Magus. But they still had a while to go until that happened... He let out his breath and rapped softly on the door. An almost inaudible reply came muffled through the door.

"It's open." He opened the door gently, and peered in. Eä was sitting over by the window, over the shrubs which blocked the bottom of the view of the countryside. She didn't move, but he could tell that she wasn't looking at the stars as she appeared to be, but within her thoughts. He walked over to her side, trying to think of something that might cheer her up.

"I know you were upset when you found out that there was no piano here, but that's nothing to cry about." She sniffed and hung her head, turning her back to him fully. He knelt beside her and tried to make her look at him, but she shied away and faced the room. Putting his arms around her, he whispered, "Eä, it will be fine. We're in little danger when we go to the mountains, all we're doing is going to get the sword. Magus won't even know until we've already had it for several days and have disappeared into the crowds again. You must believe me, everything will be alright." She shook her head and started to cry softly on his shoulder, and he tried to console her as well as he could. This was one of the earliest memories he had of her; supporting her on his shoulder as she wept about the loss of her cat and family. The cat had been returned, but other than the golden cat now asleep on her bed, her past was gone. She'd never really said anything about missing them after a few weeks, but he could tell she missed them by the way she spoke at times. Never really crying, but never truly happy either... He'd just decided it was a girl thing and figured he'd never understand it though he thought the fact that she was an outsider probably hurt her even more when she was in town. Well, he'd soon change that...

He pulled out a handkerchief which she gladly accepted, and waited a few moments while she dried her face. He lifted her chin up to have her look at him and smiled. "You know, Eä, I wanted to ask you something after we got back from this little expedition, but I think I'll ask you now." She stared down at him, a puzzled expression on her face. However, as soon as she realized what he was doing, she pulled away from him and looked away. He gazed up from the kneeling position he had taken and extended the little box to her. Putting it in her hand, he opened it and revealed the small golden engagement ring, a simple diamond held in the setting. She gasped and gaped at the ring, but didn't say anything. He brought his hand up to frame her face, an she looked into his eyes not sure what to say. He gave her an aspiring smile , and spoke gently.

"I know it's sudden, and you probably want to wait until you're older. But I've been in love with you ever since you slugged me for calling you weak. If you accepted... I'd be more honored by your acceptance than by anything anyone else could bestow upon me. Your 'yes' would privilege me more than words can express. I'm no poet, but I'd cast away my armor and sword to be with you; I'd fight the mystics barehanded if it would make you happy, and I would die for you." She shook her head and out the box back into his hand before getting up to go sit on her bed. Cyrus wagged his tail, but didn't get up.

The Knight Captain walked over to sit next to her, surprised and hurt by her flat out no. She didn't look up at him, but she whispered under her breath, " I want to, but I can't Cyrus. I-just-can't. You don't really want to marry me." He held her close, allowing her to weep on his chest, though not having the slightest idea why she was. He smiled as she hugged him closer for comfort, and stroked her hair gently.

"I do want to marry you, Eä, but since you don't wish to marry me, I'll leave you in peace." He let go of her and started to get up, but she caught his hand.

"No, Cyrus, I would marry you, it's just that..." She broke off and looked down. "I haven't told you the truth about my past yet, and you won't want to marry me once I do tell you. I was so afraid that if I told you, you'd send me away, and I couldn't bear the thought of that, considering that you're one of the only reasons I'm staying here at all." He stared down at her, not knowing what to say. He backed up, and said in a low and hard undertone,

"You're a mystic, aren't you?" Despite the fact that nothing seemed to be going her way today, she laughed and shook her head.

"Don't be stupid Cyrus. I'd never become a mystic, and were I one I don't think I'd last long amidst the humans, considering all the things that have happened. Don't worry, I'm 100 human, no mystic in me!" He relaxed noticeably and sat down again.

"Nothing could be worse than being a mystic, and even that would be bearable. Why don't you tell me about your past then? If it will make you marry me, I'll believe anything you tell me." He laughed, but then he saw his joke hadn't made her happy. She sat staring at her clenched fists, seemingly uncertain as to what to do. Cyrus held her close again. "Well?"

"I..I..." She stammered badly, trying to force out what she'd taken such pains to lock away for the last six months. Cyrus could feel her heart racing in her chest, as if she would burst from his arms and flee out the window. He pressed her against him even more, and she broke her silence.

"I'm not from this world!"

She leaned against him, breathing quickly and barely believing that she had just said what had been so hard to say. Cyrus' chest started to rumble, and a few moments later, his hearty laugh came out over her head. When she looked up, she found tears streaming through his eyes. Wiping them away, he paused to catch his breath before speaking.

"I'm sorry... I know it's not nice to laugh, but you had me so worried that you had this dark and ominous story to tell me, then you say that farce. So what are you really, a farmer's daughter? It doesn't make any difference to me what you are , I told you that before. But next time I'd make up a better story, that one is somewhat pathetic." Eä looked alarmed, and said somewhat angrily,

"But I'm not lying Cyrus! I'm not from this planet, not even from the same time period! See, now you know why I didn't wan to tell you..." She pushed him away and went over to her seat by the window again. Cyrus coughed and stood up.

"Oh, Eä, I'm sorry. Don't be mad at me... I'm sorry I called your little joke pathetic, it's just, well, it is. I don't care if you grew up living in the sewers or in a hut outside of town. But if you wanted to make a story up then you should have at least tried to make it-"

"I"M NOT MAKING A STORY UP JUST SO YOU CAN LAUGH IT OFF WITHOUT A CARE! I'm telling you, I'm from the planet Earth, around the bicentennial time period. I lived with my parents and little sister in a house in a small suburban area where I go to school on the weekdays. I played a game called Chrono Trigger, and you were one of the characters in the game. I know of your death tomorrow because in the game, you and Glenn go out to get the Masamune but are stopped by Magus. Glenn ends up becoming a frog and one of the characters you can control! I'm not telling a little story for your amusement, I'm telling you the future so that you might avoid being fried by Magus! If you had any sense at all, you'd be able to tell that I wasn't kidding and that I mean what I say." He looked at her carefully, the merriment still in his eyes. She gazed back at him, unmoving and firm, and his eyes widened after a few moments. He stepped towards her, stammering because he was at a loss for words. Coming over to her, he picked her up and held her by the arms, shaking her gently.

"Eä, you're just tired... It's the stress.. I know it's sudden and that you have a lot of things on your mind, but... Please admit that you're just joking..." She shook her head, and he continued,"You are.. You MUST be... NO! I won't believe it! Eä, SAY you don't mean it! Say it was just for fun! Admit it!" She shook her head and looked down, a tear rolling down her cheek. He let her go gruffly and walked away briefly. She sat down and turned away, crying softly as he stalked about her room in confusion and disbelief. This was the way she had expected it to go... Now he would hate her and think she was crazy. She sniffed as another tear made it's way down to her chin, but a finger came up and wiped it away. She glanced to her right to see Cyrus kneeling by her agin, and gladly accepted the embrace he offered her. She held onto him tightly, sobbing onto his already sopping sleeve. He caressed her head soothingly.

"Shhh, Eä. I'm sorry for yelling at you. It's just so hard to believe, I can't believe it, but I will if you say that it's the truth. Do you?" She nodded once and croaked out that it was, then buried her head into his shoulder again. "He pet her hair gently, and cracked, "So you'll marry me now?" She laughed and nodded, giving him a squeeze. He sighed and ran his fingers down her spine.

"I wish I could help you, make you forget your past, making you feel as if you were one of the towns people. You will be, once we're married. And I don't know about you, but I could use a drink." She nodded, and let go reluctantly as he stood up. He went beaming out into the hall, and she looked out the window happily. He had accepted her past, and he still wanted her to marry him! Even though her parents would never have allowed her to marry at such an early age, she was no longer home and people here her own age had four children already. She smiled as Cyrus re-entered the room and set down two glasses of wine. He beckoned her over to the table, and she sat across from him, taking the glass he offered. He took the ring out of it's case and tried to slip it over her finger, but she shook her head.

"Wait until after we've gotten back to the castle. I don't want to lose it before we even get to tell the others." He nodded and put it away, then lifted his glass.

"May we be happy, and may you find peace with me in my home." He raised his glass, and she did in suite, adding, "and may we both lead long and happy lives together."

The two drank to their cheer, though she could have sworn that he was giving her a funny look. They set their glasses down, and Cyrus moved over to hold her again. She sighed happily and closed her eyes. All the stress was beginning to subside, and she felt warm, safe, and dreamy. She nestled herself further into his deep embrace, and he gently kissed her on the head while petting her hair again.

"I never knew... It must have been hard for you... knowing the future but never being able to explain... "She nodded and mumbled, "MmmHmm..." The effects of the day were wearing her thoughts down to almost no coherent thought at all. She hadn't realized how sleepy she'd been... Cyrus gently picker her up and walked over to the bed, placing her under the covers. Cyrus looked up at the Human Cyrus from his curled position, but did nothing to stop him. Eä yawned sleepily and looked up at Cyrus through her ever dimming eyesight.

"Cyrus...?" He finished covering her up and came over to hold her hand.

"Yes, Eä?" She smiled weakly and gazed up at him.

"Promise me something..." He smiled and squeezed her hand.

"Anything for you Goddess."

"Promise me you won't go tomorrow..."

He picked her up and gave her a loving kiss, and she sighed deeply. She smiled when he put her down, and was already fast asleep before her head hit the pillow.

------------------------------

Glenn watched Cyrus come slowly into the room, a tired and worn expression on his face. The knight captain sank into his chair, and put his head in his hands. Glenn looked up, offering console for his friend.

"I take it she said no..?" Cyrus shook his head, then looked up.

"No, we're engaged, I think. She seemed so out of it I don't even know if she really meant what she said... She says that she's from a totally different - ah, never mind. I think the stress has just gotten to her. We should leave her here when we go tomorrow so that she can rest. We'll pick her up on the way back." Glenn raised an eyebrow.

"What will she have to say tomorrow when we're leaving and she has to stay? I don't think she'll be very happy about it.." Cyrus shook his head and tossed a small vial onto the table.

"By the time she wakes up tomorrow, we'll have been on our way for hours." Glenn shook his head in disbelief, and Cyrus shrugged.

"She tried drugging me this morning, so don't feel too much pity for her. I feel bad about having to do it, but it's for the best, I think.. Come on friend, get some sleep. We've a busy day ahead of us tomorrow." He walked over to his bad, and pulled off his boots before climbing in. Glenn called over,

"But what about Eä?"

"I'll leave her a note."

--------------------------------

Eä woke up and sighed as the warm sunlight filtered in through the window to play on the floor below. She turned over, deciding a few moments more of sleep wouldn't set them back any more than a few minutes, and closed her eyes. She then shot up in bed when she'd realized that she'd been drugged, and she tried jumping out of bed only to find that though the top half of her was awake, the bottom hadn't gotten that far yet. She lumbered over to the door as quickly as she could manage, but found it to be locked. She pounded on it, shouting,

"Cyrus! Glenn! Let me out!" The banging had managed to bring the innkeeper over to her door, and he said politely through the door,

"I'm sorry Miss, but the two gentlemen forbade me to allow you to follow them. They left a note for you on the table in there-" She dashed over to the table and tore open the neatly written letter.

_"Miss Dinn,_

_Forgive me for doing this to you_,_ but it is for your own good. I didn't wish to leave you, but don't worry. As soon as we have triumphed and retrieved the sword, we will come back for you, and we'll return to the castle to allow you to stay there and to replenish supplies. After we have killed the Magus, I will come back and we'll get married immediately- that is, if you are still in the mind to. I've given instructions to the keeper of the inn to give you everything you may need while we are gone, so don't feel hesitant to ask him for something._

_I love you, Ea._

_Yours Truly,_

_Cyrus" _

"No!" She ran over to the door again and started pounding on it. " Please, let me out! I beg of you! Cyrus!" The man's voice came through.

"I'm sorry Miss, I just can't do that. If I could get you something to eat however..." She threw herself against the door to test it's strength, but it was too hard for her to budge. She ran over to the table, grabbed the chair closest to her, and threw it at the window. The frame shattered along with the glass, and she leapt over the ruins, Cyrus following close behind her. She grabbed him quickly and ran into the stable yard where a squire was beginning to lead a horse out to his master. She rudely shoved the boy out of the way n\and jumped onto the beast's back. Calling back as the three sped off, she said,

"I'm sorry, but this is an emergency!" Her choice of mount proved to be a fine one; it outran all the others that tried to catch up to the fleeing trio. She turned and steered the animal towards the mountains. 'I hope I'm not too late!'

She stopped the exhausted horse at the edge of the mountains, and gave it a few loving pats. "Thank you for your help. Just wait here a bit and I'm sure the others will be by to get you as soon as they catch up. Thank you again." The horse head butted her, and then Cyrus jumped out of her arms to race into the woods. "Cyrus! I'll be back for you later cat, I need to go help Cyrus and Glenn before they get killed!" She ran off to the beginning of the mountains, clambering up the ladder quickly. She was about to go off to run up the next one when she noticed the bodies of several dead mystics laying about. Cyrus and Glenn had been here, and long ago too, by the looks of it. She doubled her already exhausting pace and tried to get to the next ladder, which was only a few feet away. She scrambled up the thing, only to find herself face to face with an freelancer and goblin.

She shouted in surprise and fell off the ladder, landing soundly on her rear. She pushed herself up into a defensive position, but because she had no more than her cloak with her, she had nothing to arm herself with. The freelancer threw a dagger at her, but she was able to dodge it and grab it as it whizzed by, surprising both herself and the feathered thing. It raced towards her, but she kicked it away and tried to steal it's sword. She got an ugly slice up her arm for that. But she managed to kill off the thing and take the sword before the stupid goblin had managed to shuffle up to her side. It tried to bring its hammer down onto her head, but she dodged the clumsy blow and attempted to give him a taste of the dagger and sword. He knocked the dagger out of her hands, and she leapt back to avoid another swing. He ran towards her quicker than before, but he over lunged and she was able to end the fight.

Quickly searching the remains of her first victory alone, she found a tonic and drank it, stopping the blood flow down her arm. She got up and started over towards the ladder again, but a booming sound like fireworks alerted her to look up. Something was whirling down towards her in a deadly arc, and she jumped out of the way just in time to see the shard of the Masamune quivering slightly where she'd just been standing. She was too late... Another earsplitting boom, a brilliant flash of red, and a wisp of smoke off the top cliff.

"Cyrus... CYRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSS!" She fell down sobbing. "Cyrus... Why did you go? I told you not to... You promised... Oh God, Glenn!" Her friend was teetering on the edge of the cliff, and he fell towards the pool of swiftly moving water. She raced down the first ladder and dove into the stream to swim to her floating friend.

She grabbed him around the torso and hauled him onto the sandy shore. His handsome features were gone, replaced by the familiar cartoon frog face. She sat him up and pounded him on the back, trying to make him spit up water. When he didn't respond she relied on her memory from old tv shows and tried doing a mock CPR maneuver on him. This time, he coughed and gagged, but his huge bulbous eyes opened and focused on her. He gasped, trying to talk.

"Eä...?"

She put his head down on her lap, trying to make him relax. "Shhh, Glenn, It is me. Don't move, you're hurt." He sighed and shut his eyes, but a few moments later tried to sit up quickly.

"Cyrus! Eä, he's-"

"I know Glenn, I know. I'm sorry." Glenn sat up and put a gloved hand over his face.

"You knew. You knew the whole time that this was going to happen. You tried warning us, but we didn't listen. Cyrus is gone, Magus killed him. And I... I! I am a Frog! A Monster! A freak!" She tried to pull him down again and give him some medical attention, but he shook he away and rose uneasily to his feet. He stared at his new features for a few moments, then sighed bitterly. "What are you? You're no human, that's for certain. How did you escape, and how did you know our fates?" She walked over and handed him the Masamune fragment, which he took and shoved into his belt.

"I... Am from Earth, around the year 2000. I knew about your futures because you were characters in a game that I loved. I know the basic background and futures of about seven people from this planet. You will become a member of an elite fighting team that is destined to save the planet. A teenage boy with spikey red hair is leader, and his comrades; a rebellious princess, a brainy scientist, a defective robot, a powerful cave woman, a cursed knight, and- if you wish, a dark wizard. Playing this game, I came to understand everyone's past, and I thought that I might be able to stop the game's events from occurring.. I..." She faltered, but Glenn quietly finished.

"You tried to save us from our demises, but you were unable to do so. Cyrus is gone, and I am cursed until Magus is destroyed. I will avenge Cyrus' death!" She knelt beside him and held his hand.

"Together, you mean. I won't let you go off alone. I swear that I will help you destroy the Magus, even if I have to escort him to Hell myself." Glenn smiled slightly.

"I swore that, pick another curse for your own." A dark chuckle from behind them made the duo spin around to face their unexpected company. Two figures materialized a few feet away, and a familiar voice to both frog and girl echoed through the clearing.

"Well, well, well. How touching. But now it ends. Prepare for the void!"

Glenn jumped to his feet and held out his hands to block Eä from harm's way. Ozzie cackled beside the mighty Mystic King.

"Oh look! Sir Froggy has already gotten a girl friend! But here I thought she was Cyrus'... Hah! You ought to thank Lord Magus for killing Cyrus, Frog! Now you won't have any competition! Gyah hahahahahaha!" Glenn growled at the fat mystic's comments, and turned slightly to Eä.

"Give me the sword, Eä." She shook her head and pushed him out of the way.

"No. You're too weak to deal with them right now. Let me handle this. It's not the right time to confront him yet Glenn. He has his guard up, the Masamune is broken, and you can barely walk, let alone swing a sword. Ten Years, Glenn. Then with Chrono and a friend of his, you will get your revenge." Pulling up the saber to block any advances they might make, she glared at the two defiantly. Ozzie found this very amusing.

"Aww, look. Sir Froggy needs a girl to protect him. Did you know, girl, that Cyrus didn't even think about you as he died? All he said was take care of Leene! I guess he didn't love you after all! Hahahahahahah-"

"Ozzie, shut up." The fat mystic shut up immediately, and his master turned his attention back to the trapped victims in front of him. "Well, lovely to see you again, Miss Dinn. I've heard you've been making quite a name for yourself since we last met. But the fun's over. Move out of the way my dear, I've got a score to settle with that amphibian behind you. After I've finished with him, we can talk about your future with the mystics." She lifted the blade higher, but he laughed ad pointed at her. She was thrown back and the blade was tossed onto the ground. She stood up weakly as Glenn grabbed the sword and ran shouting towards the mystics. Magus lifted his hand again, and Glenn was caught in midair, the sword dropping at his dangling feet. Magus sneered.

"You're too big to be a proper frog. Let's amend that, shall we?" Glenn cried out in pain as a spell began to shrink his form and change him even more. Eä struggled up all the way and shouted ,

"NO!" A beam of light shot out of her hand, missing his heart where she'd been aiming, but hitting him in the shoulder. Glenn fell onto the bank again as the Mystic lord struggled a few feet back. The green mystic behind him was pale, and stared at the girl who was racing over to her friend.

"Master Magus...?" The man looked up, clamping his hand over his shoulder.

"That wench is going TO DIE!" Eä shook Glenn, trying to awaken him. A chill breeze filled the small hollow, and she looked up to see the blue haired warlock chanting a spell. She ran up to the sword to try to run him through, but he looked up before she had gotten there and blasted a dark beam at her. She was forced back against a tree, and looked up painfully to stare at her assassin-to-be. He, however, was staring right back at her, and when she looked behind her she panicked. She tried scrambling out of the suction of the gate, but she was too weak. She was hurtled back along with several of the lose pieces of bracken about her, and she noticed a blur of gold before hitting her head on a hard wall and crumpling onto the cold stone floor. The three who has been in the tunnel before her arrival looked on in amazement, but the girl in command ordered the uniformed man to pick up Eä's limp form. Picking up the smaller bodies that had accompanied the mysterious stranger in her dramatic entrance, the two walked off with their burdens towards a vertical beam of light, allowing the small boy hurry along behind them before they disappeared.

Magus watched the girl through squinted eyes. She was soon enveloped in the light, and then there was no sight of her. The frog lay stunned on the ground as he'd fallen, and the man took a step towards the body before turning suddenly to grab his general's shirt. "Get me a healer!", he hissed, and teleported back to his room before collapsing onto his bed and losing consciousness.

Glenn looked on through half lidded eyes as his friend and apprentice was sucked into a time warp. This didn't faze him at all, nor did the fact that the mystic lord was almost dead thanks to Eä's last shot at him. All he would remember when he woke up later that day would be finding himself all alone on the rocky ground, the Masamune jammed in his belt and the Hero's medal floating towards him...


	14. Zeal!!

Zeal!

Ch 14

_Moaning, Eä sat up rubbing her sore temples. Her surroundings hazed for few moments, then made themselves concrete. The results made her start and shakily force herself up from under the small tree. She was back home. Granted, there was something very odd about it; maybe it was the odd shade of blue everything had seemed to have taken since she had last remembered seeing them, or that all of the people who had been playing about her were frozen in mid air, but she was indeed home. Looking down at her feet, she saw the ball that had started this whole little dream of hers. It MUST have been a dream... She bent to pick it up, but it wouldn't budge from its spot. After a few minutes of fruitless straining, she gave up and searched the vicinity for anything familiar. Her clothes were back, her sketchbook was at her feet, and Cyrus was a few feet_ away, _his tail flicking back and forth almost challenging her to move. A familiar voice cut in from behind as she knelt to embrace her unhappy cat, filling her eyes with tears._

_"It's about time you woke up. I've been waiting here for hours..."_

_She spun about to find her assumption correct, and ran to Cyrus to be enveloped in his arms. Crying on his shoulder, she tried fragmenting her words together to form a coherent question to ask him amidst her puzzlement and confused emotions. _

_"Cyrus... I thought you were... I... How did I- we get here? Are you alright? Am I just hallucinating this, or are you really here? You seem fine, and yet I saw... I thought I saw... and Glenn said..." He smiled and gave her chin a gentle pinch. _

_"I've come to say goodbye, my lady. I'm afraid I'm not coming back, but I was permitted to call on you while you were asleep to say my farewells. I must go, my love, but I just wanted to say that I loved you and I'm sorry for not listening to you. You told the truth, and you tried to save my life, and for that I am grateful. I will never forget you, my lady of the other world, and I will watch over you forever. Take heed though... There are occasional gems in the worst of our enemies, and those who we think are our friends can destroy us. Remember that, Love, and you'll do fine." He faded away in a wisp of smoke, leaving only the fog that was beginning to envelope the park behind. "I'll always love you... Now... and forever... Good Bye. . . ."_

_"Cyrus! Don't leave me here all alone! I don't ever want to be alone..." She sniffed and went to her knees to hold her cat close._

_-I'll always be here for you, Eä. Now that you'll be able to understand me more often, we'll be able to talk and I'll be able to point out all your mistakes. You've blundered often enough, you're just lucky that the Gods of this realm have no control over your life, coming from another dimensional plane and all. If they did, you'd be cold and six feet under the earth by now. The first thing I'm going to do as your new and official guide to this life is wake you up. You've been asleep for almost a week, and I'm tired of your thrashing. You've thrown me off the bed one too many times. WAKE UP!- Grabbing a finger in his mouth, the little feline bit down hard, making her yelp in pain and the blue park disappear once again._

She sucked in her breath and threw off the cat that was chewing on her fingers rather hard. Pulling them out of his reach, she noticed that her grumpy cat wasn't the only one on her bed. Underneath her bandaged right arm laid a small purple kitten with dark purple spots about his body. Purring when he saw she was awake, he got up and rubbed himself against her hand gently, mewing quietly. She smiled and caressed him behind the ears, while getting a quick glance about the room. She was in a bed by a large window in which all that could be seen was the cloudless blue sky. A large bookcase was near the bed, as well as a table with a chair, and a small dresser with a mirror was set against a wall. Other than that, the room was empty.

The kitten, tired of caresses, jumped off the bed, but remained fairly high in the air, as he had jumped onto something or someone who was trying to conceal himself. An "Ooof!" was heard, and a pair of small hands shooed the cat off the boy's head. Rising so that his eyes were level with the covers, the young boy's inquisitive and sharp eyes met her own. They held the pose for a few seconds, the boy in somewhat of alarm in being caught in the room, and she lying there, examining the little blue-haired boy who stared back. This could only be...

"Heya kid. What are you doing, trying to hide under the bed? I'm sure it's awfully cramped under there." Shooting up to stand straight, the boy stuck his nose in the air and sniffed.

"HOW DARE YOU! Do you have any idea who I AM? You cannot speak to the heir of the royal throne of Zeal that way! I am Prince Janus, descendent of King Daedelus and Idris Zeal! You must bow before your betters, peasant!" He glared at her, daring her to say something back, which she decided to do because of his snooty remark.

"Well, your highness, I didn't think a crown prince was supposed to be sneaking about and trying to hide under a lady's bed. Nor did I think it was considered polite to speak to your elders that way. Even a prince must be civil to his subjects, or there would be a revolt. However..." She propped herself up painfully and carefully to speak to him eye to eye. "I am grateful for your help in healing me. I am in your debt for this, and I must thank your parents for their aid. Would you lead me to them so that I might thank them?" The little boy shook his head.

"Schala and the gurus said you aren't supposed to move around a lot, and that no one can disturb you." She smiled a moment, deciding to see what he really wanted.

"Then how is it, young prince, that you came in here despite the orders of your older sister and your teachers? Surely not to chat with me." He grinned mischievously, and all traces of his vanity seemed to have vanished.

"I came to play with your cat..." She smiled, and gave Cyrus a scratch.

"I don't see why you'd wish to visit him. He's just a sour old tom. "

-_I resent that. And to think, I get to take all your insults with you understanding my responses now. Oh well, at least I'll be able to talk to you and order you around.-_

Janus tilted his head to one side. "What do you mean? He's not that old. The other one is too grouchy to play with, and he scratches a lot." Now it was her turn to be confused.

"But, I thought- isn't he- Alfador isn't my cat!" Janus' face widened, almost as if in fear. He grabbed her hand, making her flinch slightly, and looked imploringly into her eyes.

"Please don't tell my parents that! They hate cats! The only reason these two are with you now is because the golden one wouldn't let them get you out of his sight. Please say he's your cat, I don't want him thrown into the caves again, he might get eaten by the beasts! Please." She looked at him, utterly confused. When she didn't respond immediately, his eyes grew into wide puppy dog eyes.

"Please? You won't have to call me your highness!" Though she was still confused, she nodded, and the happy expression returned to his face. He smiled, and turned to the kitten to offer a feather.

Watching the two play for a few moments, a sudden fission ran down her spine as she recognized some of his movements from the older version she had met. Surely this sweet little kid couldn't be the real Janus, the one who would be thrown into a warp hole to become the Magus and later kill- That line of thinking made her tear up, and the boy glanced up worried as she wiped away some of the falling droplets.

"What's the matter Miss-miss...? I don't even know your name!" Smiling as much as she could, she wiped away what she could.

"Dinn. Areä Dinn. Eä for short. Nothing's wrong, I'm just tired. And you just reminded me of... never mind." Janus gave her a puzzled look.

"Are you crying because Magus killed Cyrus?" She gaped in amazement, stammering to try to speak.

"How did you... How do you know of Cyrus and the Magus? Have you already honed your power of prophecy? Or did you read my mind?"

"I don't have much magic yet, but Daddy said I'll get some when I'm older. The Cyrus guy sounds like he was really nice, and the Magus guy sounds mean and icky. You talked about them in your sleep, and I just listened while I played with Alfador. How'd you come up with that for the kitty? Did you know I called him that? Do you mind if I call him Alf?" She shook her head, feeling slightly better, though not happy. Cyrus was gone, she was in Zeal, and her cat was talking to her. Nothing else would startle her for the rest of her life.

"I didn't name him that, I just... knew you called him that. Call him whatever you want, he's not mine, Cyrus is." Janus tilted his head in confusion.

"I thought you said that Cyrus died..?" She pointed to the cat on her bed.

"This is Cyrus, my cat. He was named after Cyrus the knight, but that was even before I had met the real Cyrus. It's too confusing to explain right now though, so I'll have to tell you later." The two watched the kitten rumple the sheets of the bed and destroy the feather for several more minutes. They both turned to look at the door as it opened, and a blue-haired girl a little younger than Eä stuck her head in. Seeing Janus, she scowled and gave him an angry look. Janus backed up and held onto Alfador protectively, and the girl looked up and smiled when she saw that Eä was awake. Stepping into the room fully, the girl gave a small bow in apology.

"I'm sorry, Janus knows he's not supposed to be in here... I hope he didn't disturb you. He's _supposed_ to be studying right now, and we were looking for him. Janus! Go to the gurus, they want to talk to you." Janus stayed where he was.

"Awww, but Schala, I don't care about magic! I want to play with the kitten. Pleeeeeeeeeeeease? " She shook her head, pointing to the door, and Janus sadly put the kitten back down on the bed. As he shuffled away, Eä sat up even more, despite the pins and needles that shot up her arm.

"Wait, Prince Janus! Why don't you take Alfador with you? He could use some exercise, and I won't be able to give it to him. Could you look after him until I can?" He spun around, wide eyed, and glanced up at his sister. She nodded, and said,

"What do you say, Janus?" Running over to the bed, Janus scooped up the little purple fuzz ball.

"Thank you Miss Dinn!" He jumped up and gave her a tight hug, making her wince but smile.

"Gently Now! You're welcome, but please, just call me Eä! I don't like it when people call me Miss Dinn, it makes me sound like I'm old." He grinned, then ran out the door, the kitten purring all the way after him. Schala smiled after the two, then closed the door. Sitting down in the chair next to the bed, she glanced over Eä.

"You're feeling better, I hope? I am, by the way, princess Schala, but you can just call me Schala. We were worried about you, you had dark magic covering you, and that's not good for someone of your type. You- do- have magic, correct? Or are you an Earthbounder?"

"Why? Are Earthbounders so hated? I thought you and the gurus didn't mind them..."

"Oh no! I'm not biased at all. It's just that with your odd clothes, your odd entrance, the fact that none of the other Earthbounders knew you and the colour of your hair makes us think that you're not a Zealan. But there are no other countries, so we wanted to know from whence you came." Sitting up again, Ea allowed Cyrus to resettle himself in her lap.

"Well... My clothes are odd, even for me. I was sent to this place by a dark wizard, and I don't know anyone else here. But I don't know what would be so odd about my hair..." Schala looked muddled.

"So where you come from, it is normal for everyone to have green hair?"

"No, of course no- wait a minute, what? GREEN HAIR?" Dumping her disgruntled cat on the bed, Eä slid out of the covers and ran over to the mirror to examine her features. Schala, alarmed at the sudden outburst, walked over with her.

"It was brown when we first found you in the caves, but as soon as we got you into the palace, it turned green. We figured that you'd just put a coloring spell on it to turn it brown." Eä continued to stare dejectedly at her reflection, twisting a forest green lock in her fingers.

"Green... At least it wasn't pink, I guess. But why? My hair... Great, Now, not only am I ' mystic freak', I'm a 'mystic freak with green hair'! When will this horrible nightmare ever end...?. WHY DO ALL THE BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO ME? . . . Huh? Oh sorry." Blushing, she saw that Schala was giving her an odd look, and decided to change the subject quickly.. Schala smiled then, however, and shook her head.

"You don't have to worry about a thing. Most Earthbounders who are affected by magic act this way at first, but then they grow used to their new powers. If you feel up to it, I could take you to a recovery spring and then you'd feel if not totally whole at least a bit more comfortable. Do you want to go?" She stood up, and Eä did so as well, but somewhat more wobbly. The princess stopped at the door, however, blushing.

"You might want to get dressed first.." Looking down, Ea saw that she was in little more than a shift, and she nodded, taking the clothes the girl pointed to and dressing quickly as her back was turned. She walked over to the princess, who smiled and opened the door, leading her out into a large hallway. Across the way was what seemed to be a large library, and to the left of that was a large doorway that led out onto a breezeway. The princess led her across this, slowing as Eä paused to look at the view. Coming beside her, the princess smiled.

"Believe it or not, you'll get used to it eventually. But this is one of my favorite views. Don't you love how it sparkles n the sunlight?" Eä nodded, dumbfounded.

As far as the eye could see, large puffy clouds blanketed the horizon like new fallen snow. In front of the castle were several levels of floating rock, each with sparkling white buildings that seemed to make up a single complex manor. But what caught Eä's eye was the series of gardens that spread out across the main continent, flowering and filling the air with sweet fragrances and pollen. She sneezed once, and caught a glimpse of how high up they really were. Wobbling back, she had her eyes shut tight and a green tinge in her skin. Schala looked at her, worried.

"Miss Ea? Are you all right? Do you want to return to your room?" Eä shook her head, and said weakly,

"I'm afraid I don't do heights very well. I don't mind scenic views, but a straight down drop can make me weak in the knees. If you' be so kind as to lead on, I'd be immensely grateful." Schala nodded, and quickly lead her through the other doorway, where they ended up on a balcony over a great room bustling with people below. Large windows that went from floor to ceiling lit the chamber with sunlight, and rows of tables where people sat eating were arranged to look out the large panes out to the scenic views below them.

"This is the place where the mages and guards rest. They eat, drink, practice and celebrate here. It's a wonderful place to be if you just want to hear a good story or two, or just meet people who don't care if you're the king or a chambermaid. I come here often." Eä didn't recall this room from the game at all, but then again, her room in the Guardian castle wasn't in the game either. Guards in royal blue and orange lounged about talking to people she presumed to be mages at the tables, eating and drinking while merrily exchanging news. There was also a ring of onlookers as several younger men fenced and threw magic at each other, trying to see who was more adept with their skill. Schala motioned her past though, and they passed the stairs leading down to the merriment below and went through another high arched doorway to another long hallway. when they came to another breezeway entry, Schala, led her to the right where a stairway detoured the open views. "So you won't feel so sick." Schala took her down several flights of stairs and through parts of the palace that she said were the nobles' rooms. They stepped onto a glowing platform, and Eä's stomach felt like it was on a roller coaster. Opening her eyes again, they were in a completely different room. They followed the dark blue carpet out,and Eä smiled as she saw what appeared to be the front hall. Now THIS she remembered!

They had come out from the lower right corner of the lowest level in the room, and they made their way over to where a woman was sitting beside a glowing fountain. Giving Eä a goblet to catch some of the water, Schala chatted to the woman who was selling various magical items while Eä was busy gulping down the cool water.

When she returned the goblet to the woman, Schala returned to her side. "If you're still feeling up to it, I believe my mother wishes to speak with you." Eä shivered involuntarily .

"I'd be.. honored to meet your mother, your majesty." The princess shook her head.

"Like you, I prefer only my first name with no formalities. The problem is that no one except Father seems to understand that.. Oh well. Follow me, and I'll take you to-"

"Schala!" The young prince came racing down the stairs towards his sister with rapid speed, making her falter a few steps as he wrapped his arms around her knees. Alfador mewed a welcome as well as the princess looked down at her brother in irritation.

"Janus! I though I told you to go to the gurus for-"

"They decided to skip my lessons for today since I told them Eä was awake! They want to talk to her a lot!" turning to Eä, he grinned. "Can you stay forever so I don't have to go to my lessons again? That would be great!" Schala peeled the little barnacle off of her leg, making him go over and cling to Eä.

"No Janus, you WILL learn some magic by the time you're six, so that when your magic does come you'll be prepared! But, where are the gurus? Did you run away from them again?" The prince beamed with an impish smile, and a few moments later they understood why. Coming from another portion of the palace that wasn't in the game, three older men came out, looking very grumpy indeed. They had reason as well; they were all covered in a fine white powder, and the tallest's hat was smoking from a smoldering tip. They scowled as the prince maneuvered himself out of view, and the man of medium height stormed up to Eä's side. Alfador stood in the way protectively as the old man began to holler.

"Boy! You may be the prince of Zeal, but you do NOT treat your teachers like playmates! The lab is filthy thanks to you, your books have all been burned up, and my nu is in shock! Now what do you have to say for yourself?"

"You're a cranky old geezer. I'm the Prince of Zeal, I can do what I want." Sticking his tongue out and pulling down an eyelid, the little brat blew a raspberry to the three powdered men. Gaspar, the one with the most amount of damage, reached down to box the insolent boy's ears, but his hand was stayed by the short and squat man's hand. Grinning like an idiot and fixing his sunglasses, the youngest and the one who could only be Melchoir , bowed deeply before Eä.

"Gaspar, you daft fool! It isn't polite to reach down to a lady's legs without first being properly introduced! I, my dear girl, am Melchoir, the guru of life and head weapons master of the palace. I am here to serve you." Taking her hand gently, he kissed it and once more grinned sheepishly. A cough and a pat on the back made him redden and straighten.

"And my two stuffy colleagues, Gaspar, the guru of time and also the crankiest man in the land; and Belthasar, the guru of wisdom and a man who will go on and on for ages about the grandeur of the ancient history of Zeal when he's really just reliving his childhood. And, if I might be so bold, who are you? Not an ordinary cave girl we've here, gentlemen, but a true gem!" He adjusted his glasses, and the three looked on impatiently, Gaspar still glaring at the boy.

"My name is Areä Dinn. It's nice to meet you." Belthasar walked forward again, seeming to be interested. "Areä Dinn, you say? You are named in the ancient tongue? How do you spell that?"

"A-R-E-A (with two dots over the second A), space D-I-N-N. Areä Dinn. Not to be confused with area, as in the area of a square. Eä for short. Most people call me various things because of the umlaut over the "a". It gets irritating after a while." Belthasar nodded consolingly.

"I understand entirely. Many who are named with ancient names are mispronounced. But, did you know that the ancient Zealans, our ancestors, had a language that your name can be literally translated? It goes something like-"

"The name of the ancient Goddess of love and beauty. Helllooooooo, lovely! Where did you- oh, I see! It's our cave girl. Good to see you up. You know, _I _was the one who carried you up here. My name is-"

"Dalton. I know exactly who you are, actually. And I'd really appreciate it if you never touch me again, thanks." The young man with the almost-Australian accent looked downcast, swishing his hair out of the way in irritation. Eä noticed that he was in a different uniform than before, and that he still had both eyes. But he was old enough to be her father, and she tried not to grimace as he shoved Melchoir out of the way and stooped down before her in a bow. She noticed with a bit of amusement that the others were trying to hold back suppressed hatred as well. And Melchoir was _not_ happy about being pushed aside. Dalton looked up and straightened to tower a foot above her, and held out his arm.

"I was sent to get the Princess, but I'm sure her majesty would like to meet you as well. I will be glad to-"

"Lead the way, and I'm sure she thanks you immensely Dalton. Now then, Miss Dinn, allow me to escort you to the throne room, with Dalton's guidance, of course. Princess, will you take my other arm?" Schala refused Melchoir's offered arm, due to the fact that he had not brushed away all the dust. but Eä accepted it so she wouldn't have to deal with Dalton, who lumbered ahead sulkily.

-_Aww, look. The old boy is upset. I think he wanted to walk with you, Eä.- _Glaring down at her cat, she walked past him, forcing him to follow behind. Maybe understanding Cyrus wasn't such a great thing after all...

Going up a flight of stairs and past some of the guards and mages on duty, they arrived at a pair of large golden doors elaborately engraved with what looked like the royal seal of Zeal. Dalton opened the doors and bowed, allowing the Prince, Princess, Eä, and the Gurus through. He walked through himself, trying to shut the cats out, but Janus returned to pick up Alfador while Cyrus made a stately entrance by proudly padding in. Dalton glared down at the cat, but Cyrus twitched his tail at him and leapt up to settle himself on Eä's shoulder, surprising her a little. But she was too busy to be very surprised at his sudden perching on her shoulder; she was in awe of the room that simply glowed with light and magic.

Large floor to ceiling windows encircled the domed room, allowing the view of the entire kingdom to be seen from this lofty height. The blue sky was reflected on the dark marble floor, and the purple carpets glowed with the warm light. In the back of the room was an enormous throne wrought in purple silk and velvet and golden furnishings. Atop the enormous throne sat a woman who was busy studying some scrolls, so she didn't see or hear the company come in. Eä examined the woman, not believing her eyes. In front of her was Queen Zeal, the most powerful female wizard this world had ever created. But she wasn't the same half-crazed doll of Lavos that she was in the game, she was a simply dressed woman with her hair tied back in a ponytail. Her clothes were of common cut; the only difference between her outfit and Eä's was the color and the material. Zeal looked up, and dropped the scroll as Janus rushed over.

"Hi Mommy! Look! Eä let me play with Alfador today!" Extending the kitten to his mother, Janus clambered up onto her lap. Zeal smiled, but looked confused.

"Eä? Alfador? Oh, are you the girl we found in the cave? Is your name Eä?" She put her son on the throne and descended from it to come over to meet the new comer.

Eä curtsied as best she could. What was with the Zealans? Janus was a happy little kid, Schala was younger than her, Queen Zeal wasn't mad, the king was still alive somewhere in the kingdom, and Dalton still had two eyes! The only thing that was normal was that Dalton was a jerk. That was the only thing that made Eä at ease, knowing that the egotistical man was still himself. The only possible explanation was that she was early, and that Lavos hadn't taken over things yet... Answering the queen, she replied,

"Yes, your Majesty. Areä Dinn." The queen smiled, looking at the cat on her shoulder a bit cautiously.

"I am Queen Idris Zeal, wife of King Daedelus Zeal and mother to Schala and Janus. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance." Eä curtsied again, and said,

"Thank you, your majesty, for helping me in a time of need. I am eternally in your debt for the kindness you have shown me." Idris waved it aside.

"Not at all! I'm thrilled to have you here! It's not everyday a new mage shows up with one of the most powerful types of magic! My husband will be very anxious to meet you when he and the captain return from their expedition. Such an odd way to arrive! Did you really come from a transchronological fluxation in the interdimensional time stream?" Trying not to stare too much, Eä tried to answer.

"Um, perhaps, your majesty. What's a transchrono-whatcha-macallit? I came through a gate, if that's what you mean your majesty." Idris laughed and nodded.

"And when exactly are you from? Before the war of the ancients? The discovery of magic? The lifting of the kingdom?" Eä shook her head, and gave a brief summary of where she had just come from without giving specific details, times, or dates.

When she finished, Idris seemed even more curious than before, making Eä doubt if this really was the cold- hearted witch who would one day seal the kingdom's doom. "That is fascinating! So you say you've no idea how to control your magic, but yet you haven't been destroyed by it! You're the first Earthbounder to survive that long without proper guidance of your powers... Still, you need training, if you are to live past your mid twenties. Why don't you study with my son, since he's still studying the basics? And then, as soon as my husband returns, we can figure out what to do from there. I know power when I feel it, and you're practically bursting in the ancient art of Life magic. If you need anything, just tell me or one of the gurus, and you will have it." Eä curtsied again, this time more deeply, knowing the honor that the queen had bestowed upon her.

"Thank you, your majesty. I shall try to live up to your expectations." The queen nodded, getting back on her throne, then motioned the Captain of the Guards up.

"Dalton, take Miss Dinn back to her room. She should rest now, since she's had such a busy morning. Gurus, I need to talk to you about this power source you claim to have found. Did you say it was in the ocean?" The rest of their conversation was drowned out by Dalton's accented voice.

"Well, Miss Dinn? Shall we go?" Trying not to sigh, she nodded and exited the door. Dalton seemed to be considering taking her arm, but decided against it when he saw Cyrus positioning himself for a good swipe.

-_Don't even try it , human.-_

_G_oing through the twisted corridors once again, Eä followed the man through the labyrinth until they stopped in front of door that was _not_ her own. Stepping back, she tried to think it was a mistake.

"This isn't my room, Captain. I think, actually, it's yours." He shrugged and nodded, grinning stupidly. Eä had just about reached her limits with this swine, and was about to give him a good knuckle sandwich to go when the Prince suddenly came skipping into view, Alfador tagging along at his heels and mewing happily. The boy stopped and stared up at the captain with round blue eyes, pure innocence leaking out of his expression.

"Whatcha doin Dalton? This isn't Eä's room! Do you need something here, and you don't have enough time to take her back? Don't worry then, I can do it. Follow me, Eä!" Skipping away again , the boy made a hasty retreat, Eä close at his heels. Muttering under her breath things that made the boy slow slightly at, she thanked him cordially when he returned her to the proper place. After telling her the ways to get around without going through the breeze ways, the young prince turned solemn.

"Dalton's a big jerk. Lot's of ladies like him, but most are smart enough not to. He doesn't like it when people don't give him what he wants, but he can't do anything to me cause I'm the prince. " Eä looked down at the boy with a new light.

"You're sharp for someone of your age, Janus. How did you know I needed you there though?" The boy shrugged, petting the little kitten gently.

"I dunno. I just sensed it. I could feel that you were in trouble, and I could sense where you were going. So I just followed and helped you out when I got there." She felt a cold breeze at her back at the mention of his senses. So, Magus could sense where she was... The boy looked up, suddenly laughing. "You know what, Eä? I have a feeling we're going to be close!" She smiled, despite the remaining chill in her spine.

"I'm sure we'll become good friends, yes." He shook his head, thoughtful again.

"No... More than that... but much later... MUCH later on in time... Just you watch! I'm never wrong about this kinda thing!"


	15. Getting Adjusted To A New Life

Getting Adjusted to Another Life

Ch 15

One week after her arrival, Eä already felt as if she had been living amidst the enlightened ones for a month. She'd repeatedly told the queen of the place she had come from, never telling her everything in fear of giving away too many details of the future. Dalton continued to bother her, and Schala was busy most of the time. Which left her with Cyrus, Janus, and Alfador. Janus was having a grand time, showing her around the kingdom's beautiful buildings and giving her a detailed report of all the best places to hide when the guru's were hunting for you. Leading her into Enhasa, he pointed to various books that were laid out with elements swirling above the pages.

"Those are for accessing the Gurus' rooms. They practice magic in there, and try out new spells. Do you wanna take a look?" Without waiting for her reply, the young boy ran off skipping into the hidden chamber. Cyrus looked up at his mistress.

-_Much more trusting than he was when we last saw him, isn't he? I wonder how much longer his happy demeanor will last?-_ Eä shook her head.

"I don't know, Cyrus. I'm sure as soon as Lavos is discovered and drained for power, he'll start acting like the kid we know from the game. I wish it wouldn't happen, I like him much better this way-"

"Are you COMING? Hurry Up!" Janus popped his head out the doorway, and Alfador came out to mew impatiently before following his blue haired friend back into the tiny workroom. Cyrus trilled something inaudible and leapt to her shoulder so he wouldn't have to make the effort to walk there.

"You're so lazy..." She murmured to her purring feline, who tartly replied,

_-Just be quiet and walk, human-_

Stepping into the dimly lit room, she saw a rather large blue thing snoring in the center of the room. Janus grinned wickedly as he crept over behind the sleeping Nu's form, and Alfador stalked along beside, sensing the boy's mischief. Unfortunately for them, the animal was allergic to cats. Too quickly for the prince and kitten to doge the sniffling Nu, the blue creature gave a mighty sneeze, knocking into the boy and kitten and pinning them flat. Janus struggled to get up, kicking the nu, but to no avail; the lethargic animal had already fallen back into a deep sleep. Eä tiptoed over to the prince, and pulled on the boy's arms to extract him. When this didn't work, she put a foot on the nu's back and heaved. The brat came out quickly, knocking her down and landing on her stomach. The kitten jumped out of the way and went over to be consoled by Cyrus, who began a vigorous cleaning. Janus stood up and ran over to kick the nu angrily. All this did was make it snort in its sleep, and make his foot very sore. Eä picked herself up, and watched the rascal hop up and down saying,

"Stupid nu! I hate you! My poor toe!" She shook her head and sighed.

"It's your own fault Janus. You were the one who wanted to bother him. But, seeing as it's a long way back... Do you want a piggy-back ride?" He put his foot down and stared at her blankly. Cyrus stopped grooming the purple fuzz ball, his tongue still sticking out, to look up at her surprised.

-_You're going to give THAT brat a piggy back ride? I thought you hated him after what he did to Cyrus.-_ Alfador must have said something, because Cyrus quickly grabbed the kitten's head again and put him through another thorough cleaning. Janus eyed her suspiciously, not seeming to notice the cats.

"What's a pig-e-back ride?" She grinned, and squatted down.

"Hop on my back, put your arms around my neck, and hold on. I'll walk you as far as I can until your foot feels better." Looking down at his foot, then at her, he tried to decide if she was joking, or if she really wanted him to hop on her back. Finally, the idea of trying something new won the better of him, and he limped over to her, making sure to drag his foot all the way. She laughed and helped him up. Alfador leapt up to sit in-between the Prince's arms, and Cyrus grumpily stalked off in front, realizing there was no room left for him. Standing up slowly so the prince could alter his grip if he needed to, she was almost instantly choked. Keeping one hand behind her to hold him up, the other was busy prying off his vice-like grip.

"Janus- you're... choking... me...!" He let go of her a bit and she blinked away the tears that had formed.

"You've got on mighty little grip there, Janus. Try not to choke me, k?" He laughed and cheered her on.

"C'mon Eä! Lets go! Run!" Jogging out of room and out of Enhasa, she laughed as Janus whooped with joy. "Yay! Go faster!"

"If I go any faster, I'll collapse, kid. I've got to slow down as it is. Did you know you were a lead weight before you got on and didn't tell me?" He giggled and hopped off, jumping down into the grass.

"You're just weak, that's all." Sitting down beside him, she chuckled.

"You're probably right, but you're still heavy." A cool wind blew up from one of the gardens, and she sighed in contentment before falling back to gaze up at the clouds passing overhead. Janus obscured her view almost instantly.

"Whatcha doin? Why are you laying in the grass? Did you hurt yourself?" She smiled.

"No, just catching a few rays." He frowned, puzzled.

"What are rays?"

"Rays of sunshine."

"How are you catching them?"

"I'm not actively catching them, I'm sunbathing."

"You're gonna take a bath out here? But there's no water! How're you going to do it? Aren't you embarrassed? You're in front of me, and I'm a boy!"

"Sunbathing means lying on your back to bake in the sunshine and doing nothing else. You can soak in a lot of heat by just staying still, and if you're in a bathing suit, you can sometimes get a good tan. Now move, you're in my sunlight." He obliged, and she closed her eyes, basking in the warmth of the bright noon star. Cyrus curled up on her stomach, preventing any movement form that point on. A nagging thought kept her from falling asleep, however, and she decided to ask it. "Hey Janus, why don't you have studies with the gurus today? Usually you're inside working around this time..." He shot up, slapping his head.

"I forgot! The gurus wanted me to call you in, since they found the beginner's books." Propping herself up on one arm, she shaded her eyes from the light.

"How long ago was this?" He scratched his head, pondering.

"Ummmm, I think it was about two hours ago. But that's okay! Since they haven't sent anyone after us, that means we're in the clear and they won't bother us."

"You're sure?" He nodded, and hunched back over his work. She had to bite her lip, watching him work so happily. The high Prince of Zeal and great Magus-to-be was sitting like a commoner, making a pretty daisy and wildflower chain. She sunk back into her spot, and was almost asleep again when another shadow was cast over her face. Squinting to see who it was, all she could make out was that it was a man with a short pigtail, a cape, and an extended hand. She sat up, hoping it wasn't who she thought it was. Janus ran over and put one of his creations on her head. She smiled in thanks, but stood up to see what the stranger wanted, blinking blindly in the light. He was a little taller than her, fair-haired with blue eyes and a striking smile. In fact he looked a lot like...

He saluted smartly, bringing himself to his full height. "You're Miss Dinn, are you not?" She nodded, not trusting her voice. He grinned and reported quickly. "The gurus require the Prince and your attendance-"

"Shoot! I thought they'd of forgotten by now..."

"-and they would appreciate it if you hurried. They're very busy, and they've had people looking for you all day." She could feel herself reddening, but the young prince sniffed indifferently and waved his hand in a dismissing demeanor.

"We're busy catching rays. Go away." The young soldier looked down in confusion.

"You're what, your highness?" Eä shook her head, trying to hold back a laugh.

"Never mind. Where did you say the gurus wanted us to go?" He turned his attention back onto her, his eyes twinkling in amusement.

"I didn't. They'll be expecting you in their workroom in the palace, I'd expect. If you wish for an escort-"

"Stop flirting and go away, soldier. I know very well where to go, so she won't be needing your help. You are dismissed." The soldier saluted,

"Aye aye, your majesty. Miss." Tipping a nonexistent hat, he turned around and faded as he teleported away. Eä spun angrily around to face the little brat still lying on the ground.

"Janus! You were so rude! How could you talk to someone like that? I wanted to ask him his name..." Janus shot up, frowning.

"You don't like him, do you?" She sighed, shaking her head.

"No... I just wanted to know if I know some relatives of his..." Janus perked up.

"Oh, you mean his ancestors, right?" She looked down at him, her anger diminishing, and smirked.

"Something like that... Come on, we'd better go before the gurus send Dalton." The prince got up, but paused, looking at her hopefully.

"Will you give me another pig-e back ride sometime?" She smiled and held out her hand for him.

"Yes. Later on, I promise."

The gurus weren't happy that the prince had forgotten to relay his message to Eä, but they soon forgave the boy when he was sat grudgingly in front of a large pile of dusty books. Belthasar shook his head as the boy groaned.

"If you hadn't been so late you wouldn't have so little time to do it all. However, you've got to keep quiet over there, because we need to talk with Miss Dinn. Now then, my dear, if you'd just sit down over here..." He motioned to seat, which Melchoir pulled out for her. She settled herself down and allowed Cyrus to jump into her lap.

-_This should be fun... It looks like they're about to ask you about your past. Are you going to tell them what you told Cyrus? Maybe they'll claim to love you too and lock you up in a room saying it's for your own good.-_ Her eyes stung as he said that, but she blinked away the wetness as the three men turned their backs to get some paper.

"Just for that, you can sit on the floor." She muttered, and pushed him off her lap.

_- I was only kidding…_-

He sauntered over to Janus as the gurus returned with what looked like a resume of some sort. Melchoir and Gaspar settled back, and Belthasar stepped up to her.

"Now, I'm just going to cast a small spell, so that we'll be able to determine your abilities and levels. It won't hurt, but it may feel odd for a little bit. Ready?" She nodded, and a wave of yellow sparkles fell over her. The familiar feeling she got when the accidents all had occurred was coursing through her whole body, making her feel slightly giddy. Belthasar muttered as he wrote things down, and when the paper had been filled, he stopped chanting and the feeling subsided. The two men behind him stood up, waiting to hear what he wrote. Belthasar flipped over his notes, and then spoke at last.

"Alright, let's see. You're innate in white magic, but then again we already knew that... Your weakness is shadow, which we also knew, because of the shape you were in with that dark matter about you when we first treated you. Your HP level is currently 495/550, your MP...? You've got a magic level of over 100! That's impossible! No one can control that much magic safely! I'm surprised you haven't self destructed already... We'll have to recheck that later on, it must have been a fluke in the spell. It seems that you're a fair fighter, but your magic won't be anything that powerful." Gaspar sighed.

"There goes another pupil. And here I thought I'd have another Time traveler elite. Oh well. " Belthasar shrugged, and continued.

"You never know, Gaspar… Now, back to you, Miss Dinn. _T_here's something odd about your aura... I've never seen anything quite like it. It's similar to the Prince's and the King's but not quite exact... It's an odd color, and it feels different than normal forces. Oh well, another thing to mark down on the list of things to check up on. I think magic wise, you'll be able to become about as strong as a common born enlightened can be, probably with the ability to heal like the Princess. But what puzzles me is this magic reading. It's far too high to be normal... This ability to manipulate the stream.. Such power doesn't seem possible. Even his majesty has difficulty performing this operation..."

Melchoir stood up, still smiling amiably. "Have any questions, my dear?" Eä nodded, and asked plainly,

"Can you get rid of it?" Melchoir frowned.

"Your magic? Are you serious?" She nodded again.

"I can't have magic if- when I return home! Do you have any idea what would happen to me if they saw what I could do? Everyone would freak! I'd get locked up to be a lab rat and there'd be experiments of various degrees of pain! I'm not going through that, so I want to be rid of this as soon as I can so that I'll be able to return home!" The three men stood gaping at her dumbly. Gaspar was first to recover, but in bad temper.

"You have a type of magic that only a select few have, probably the only type of magic that could hold its own against Shadow magic… AND YOU WANT TO THROW IT AWAY?" Belthasar took hold of his friend's shoulder.

"Calm yourself, you might do something you'll regret later on. Now, Miss Dinn those are serious words, and I'm sure you didn't say them lightly. But, you actually wish to get rid of your magic? I'm now certain you are not a Zealan, because otherwise you would have known the consequences of trying to alter your capabilities." The way he said this sentence sent a shiver down her spine, and Janus looked up to gawk at her with wide eyes. She shifted uncomfortably with all the eyes in the room staring at her.

"Janus, go out a moment. We need to talk to Miss Dinn alone for a few moments. Take a book out with you so you can continue." Janus crept out quickly, the cats following behind at his heels. Eä turned her attention back the gurus.

"I don't understand, what happened? Why is it so bad to wish to get rid of one's magic? Does it do something?" Gaspar cleared his throat, making her realize he was going to give her a history lesson.

_"Long ago, when the people of the earth and the people of the sky were still living together in the vast_ _labyrinths of caves, a young lad found a strange piece of redrock. Giving it to his chieftain, the chieftain recognized it as a special mineral, which exuded a strange power. We now call this rock dreamstone, and it is used in many of our spells and magical instruments. Now, the chieftain was not affected by this stone, but his daughter-"_

"Don't you mean her daughter?" Eä interrupted. Gaspar started out of his lecture, confused.

"What, what are you talking about? There were no female chieftains, no woman was strong enough to be a leader." Eä shook her head.

"That's not true. Ayla was a chieftain, and she was the strongest in the village. And she was the one who had the dreamstone, not some boy. But she lost it in a poi guzzling contest to Cr- I mean, she lost it in a fair fight." Gaspar huffed angrily.

"So you think you know the history of the planet better than me?" She smirked, trying to hide a smile from the peeved Gaspar.

"In a way, yes, but continue. I'm sorry for interrupting." He sniffed and continued.

"_Yes, well the chieftain was not affected, but the daughter of the leader acquired a weak form of what we now call magic. The girl grew physically strong like her parents, but like others who had come in contact with the beautiful red stone, she was different in the sense that she could do things the others couldn't. Many of the newly enlightened had small powers which they used to do simple things, like light fires, or call game to them while hunting. Some claimed to be able to speak with the animals, but there is no proof of this. However, the two peoples lived together peacefully for thousands of years digging in the caves to extend the tunnels. A great blizzard began to blow, and it has never since stopped completely. No one is certain as to why this great weather change occurred-" _

Ea was about to tell him why, but his sharp eye made her think the better of it.-_ "Thus, the people tried finding caves near lava and hot springs. They dug up vast amounts of Dreamstone, but the most important find was the sun stone. This rock had the power of the sun stored into its very make up. It was a powerful tool for the enlightened cave dwellers, and they quickly made a plan to use this new energy source. They finally decided on a plan to raise half the continent above the clouds, and live above until the storm cleared. _

"_This was difficult work for the young mages with their untrained powers, but they managed it, and the kingdom of Zeal came to be. It was named the Kingdom of Zeal because of it's first leader, Tlan Zeal. The kingdom prospered for many years, both enlightened and simple people alike that was what they called the earthbound, though some of the top minds of the time were simple folk ._

"_However, there came a time of unrest amidst the simple folk. Some wished to have the power of the enlightened, and therefore went to the king to plea for his help. He put a man in charge of the research f or creating magic to be given to the simple, Drakor Marindroth, a wise and powerful mage who studied science. However, the mage had no scruples in his work. _

"_Telling the king he would give him his findings after his experiments were done, he chose a secluded cave on a part of the floating continent. This was the location of his lab, where he preformed tests on various enlightened and simple folk, trying to give and take away magic. Those who survived fled to hide, terrified of what would happen if they found missing and recaptured. Many of them fled back to the earth, to disappear into the tunnels again. They were the unfortunate people who became know as the demi-humans, test experiments gone wrong which altered their shapes forever. Marindroth, still continuing without a single regret, went on to discover at the expense of many lives that magic is in the make up a human. If it is taken away or given to one who never had it before, the result would be a painful death or the altered form of a demi-human. The experiments went on in secret, until an injured demi-human was discovered by some boys one day, and brought it before the king. _

"_Telling the King of his experiences by Marindroth's hand, the poor soul died after giving the King the location of the lab. The king was outraged, and sent a small army out to destroy the lab and kill the scientist. However, the scientist did have supporters in many of the simple folk who had been turned into demi-humans with magic. They saw themselves as enlightened, and did not care how they used their newfound power. And his earlier test animals, lizards and beasts who had been given human characteristics, fought beside the scientist. A brief war ensued, and the whole area around the lab was destroyed. It had to be linked together with chains to ensure no damage would be done to the surrounding land. Due to the number of lives lost in that place, it became known as Mt. Woe. The scientist was brought to the king, found guilty, and sentenced to be killed. The day he died though, he tried one last joint effort with his allied forces. Casting a great spell to send the whole land into the sea, he succeeded in dividing the continent into several pieces. He never saw the result of his effort, however, because he was thrown over the edge of the land, and swallowed up by the clouds, never to be seen again._

"_A new time in history began. The king, wishing to punish those who had gone against him, ordered the simple folk back down to earth to live in the caves. The demi-humans fled, and were assumed to have died off long ago. The Earthbounders have lived down there since, though it has been over one hundred years since the uprising. Kind Daedelus is trying to work out a treaty with their leader to try to allow the Earthbounders to return above the clouds, but some of the people are still bitter against our kind, and have been causing riots down in the mines. However, with the way things are going, I believe that soon the compromising will win through, and there will be peace again."_

"Gaspar stopped, and the room was filled with an eerie coldness. Eä shivered as the words of the story struck home with their meaning, and Cyrus jumped onto her lap again. She asked shakily,

"So, if I were to try to lose my magic, I'd become a demi human?" Belthasar shook his head.

"No, you'd probably end up dead. Few enlightened survived the tests, the Earthbounders were the ones who ended up as demi humans. That doesn't mean you wouldn't survive, you just don't want to take the chance." She sighed sadly.

"So I'm stuck this way... God, Mom and Dad are gonna freak." Melchoir grasped her shoulder gently.

"Don't worry, my dear. You can learn to control your magic, then you can simply never use it. Stored magic can be dangerous occasionally, but the worst that might happen to you with your magic is you might survive a deadly blow or something of that manner. You'd be best off learning how to utilize what you have in order to keep it in check. Now, we can give you the tools and texts you need to awaken and control this power, but you must be willing to work to achieve this mastery. Are you willing to make this commitment?" Eä nodded.

"I don't really have much of a choice. Hiding magic is better than having it exposed..." The gurus nodded, but Gaspar looked at her oddly.

"You say that no one of you time ha magic? What year are you from then?" She blanched, and stumbled along for an answer.

"I, um, that is... I don't really know what year it is on you calendar. We had a new calendar that was created on a different time schedule than yours, so though I'm from the year 690, it might have been thousands of years ago for you. I'm not really certain how to answer, except with my time." The three accepted this, and told Janus to return into the room. Cyrus jumped on her lap, reusing to be thrown off again, and sitting patiently on her shoulder while she collected the books the gurus wanted her to read for the next lesson in a few days. Janus had to stay behind and finish his work, so she juggled the books and cat while finding her own way back to her room.

She met some friendly soldiers and knights who were still on duty while she passed some of the larger halls, and they directed her to the hall where her quarters were. She walked about for several minutes, trying to find out where the seventh right as she passed the fourth breezeway was. She was getting irritated when she bumped into someone around the bend, spilling her books all over.

She scrambled around on her hand and knees, trying to collect the fragile pages that had spilled out, and found herself face to face with the soldier who had summoned them to the gurus. He smiled and took the rest of her books from her, holding them under his arm, then offering his hand to help her up. She found, at this close a range, he looked only slightly like Cyrus, his hair being a dirty blonde and not a light golden color like Cyrus. He grinned, and said,

"well met again, Miss Dinn. May I assist you? I see that the gurus found you, and they tend to go a bit overboard when assigning texts. I can spare a few moments, I've got some time before my next shift. Where are you going? I can take you, your books, and your cat there." Feeling her face redden despite her efforts, she glanced about.

"I'm looking for the hall with my room... I was told it was around here somewhere, but I can't find it for the life of me. I don't want to bother you, but could you point me in the right direction? I'm not used to places so big as this..." He smiled, and shook his head.

"This place is large, but you get used to it after a while. Besides, it's hard even if you know where you're going. I can take you, there's no problem there. I'm going that way anyway; my shift is in the great hall. I'll drop you off at your door if you'd like, then continue on my way." She smiled, and said, "thank you. I could use a little help..." He nodded, and started walking off briskly to his left. "Don't mention it. This way." He started small talk as he led her through the twisted halls and many corridors. She quickly found that he was one of the elite soldiers, as those they passed saluted him and quickly summarized that nothing had happened at their posts. He apologized for the delay, and quickly showed her a familiar looking series of doors.

"I believe this is where you are staying... You'll get to know the route to the gurus quickly; they enjoy summoning their students at all hours of the night and day. But until you do learn the way, myself or any of my men are at your service. Good Day, Miss Dinn." She collected the books from him, and thanked him warmly. Before closing the door all the way, she turned to ask him something, but found the corridor empty. She sighed and closed the door.

"Second time I forgot to ask him his name... He does look like Cyrus though, doesn't he Cyrus...? I... miss him... so much..." Cyrus jumped from her shoulder to her bed and started cleaning himself.

-_I don't see why you were so head over heels for that human.. He was simple and bulky. Besides, you have me now, you don't need another human companion.-_ She sighed again and sat next to him, petting him lightly.

"Yes, but how is it that now I can understand you? That in itself is odd, even disturbing..."

Cyrus merely sniffed.

_-Same way you became enlightened. I was sent here the same way you were, and the gate affected more than your hair. You're different in more ways than one, even from after we were sent to this place. But don't question your blessings. I always have good information and a perfect personality, so you'll never be lonely again.-_ Eä scratched his ears affectionately,

"I'm not sure about perfect personality... But I am glad to have you here with me.. I couldn't stand it here if I was all alone again. I'll learn the magic these gurus want me to learn, then we'll get home, Cyrus. I promise." A knock on the door broke both their concentrations, and Cyrus sat up to scratch his ear.

-_It's that Princess again. She wants to talk with you.-_ Sure enough, When Eä opened the door, she found Schala waiting.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but my father has just arrived. He wants you to join us after dinnerin the royal quarters to speak with you. I just wanted to tell you so that you might want to dress accordingly." Eä gaped, confused.

"What am I supposed to wear to talk to your father? And how am I supposed to act? I've never spoken with any royalty formally before...! Will you give me a crash course in the basic addresses and a few pointers? You'd know them, since you have to be addressed by them all the time! Will you help me?" Schala seemed momentarily confused by her words, but then when she understood, she laughed and nodded.

"It doesn't make a difference since Father doesn't care about titles either, but I'll tell you a bit while you choose something to wear, how about that? Then I can give you a few... "pointers" to help you in case you run into royalty who care about titles. You never know when it might come handy."


	16. The King of Zeal

The King of Zeal

Ch 16

Eä glanced furtively from behind the dressing screen. "Am I really supposed to wear something like this? I feel like I'm underdressed for royalty, even if no one here cares about titles. I look like an everyday person; am I supposed to? Don't I need to get more dressed up?" Schala shook her head, motioning her out.

"No, as I said before, Father doesn't care about being formally addressed. Besides, you knew more about court manners than you let on, and dress here is practical, and it shows your status or magical attribute. Simple blue robes are the wear of apprentices, which is what you've been declared. Now come out and let me look at you, and don't be shy." Eä stepped out, and Schala smiled. Eä frowned.

"It was all those stupid lessons Jessica made me go through... I never thought I'd ever need them though... Whose apprentice am I?" Schala opened the door to lead her to her Father.

"Well... You should feel honored, all three Gurus want to have you as their next apprentice. Gaspar still thinks you could be one of his Time traveling elite, Belthasar is obsessed with the idea that you're from the past and that he can glean more facts about history from you, and Melchoir says that you're good with a sword and you're cute. But, if Father will allow it... I believe you'll be my apprentice. Our magic is similar, though not completely alike; it will be close enough for me to teach you the basic healing spells you're able to learn. Maybe when you're a bit more powerful, Gaspar will be able to teach you more advanced spells. Other than that, the rest is between you and Father. Here we are."

They walked into the royal chamber hallway, going through another passage to get to a series of doors in a smaller hallway. Schala stopped before one of the larger and more elaborate doors.

"My Father's personal library. He'll talk to you in here. Just don't forget to smile, and just be yourself. My Father will be able to answer any questions you have, so feel free to inquire about anything that comes to mind. Someone will be around when you are ready to go." The doors suddenly opened, and Schala pushed her into the room, closing the doors behind her. Eä gasped in surprise.

She was standing in an enormous room, the walls covered in books from floor to ceiling. A large purple fire was roaring in the hearth, and the large windows which overlooked the kingdom much like those in the throne room caught her attention quickly. The view was filled with the flickering lights of Zeal amidst an ocean of stars, and the moonlight was dancing off of the waterfall that had no end. She stood by the door, unsure as to where she should go, when a soft cough made her turn her attention towards the shadows. She gasped and bowed in that direction of the sound, saying,

"My Lord, King Zeal, I did not see you. Forgive me. I am Areä Dinn. You summoned me here earlier-" Her eyes widened as he came into view, making her stop her sentence in mid thought.

A tall, muscular man came into view, wearing long robes and a cape in the royal colors of blue and orange. His fine-boned face was framed by a neatly trimmed beard that reminded her of a picture in an old Robin Hood movie she'd once seen. He had dark and penetrating eyes of deep purple, and a long scar running down the left side of his face. His blue hair was tied behind him in a blue cord, giving him a look of ultimate regency. She must have been gawking, but he gave her a hearty laugh that eased her a bit.

"Come now, surely I am not that frightening! Why do you shiver so? I might look imposing in this garb, but the Gurus insisted I meet you as I would a foreign diplomat. They say you're very unique Miss Dinn." She stopped trembling as he put a hand on her shoulder, leading her to a seat by the magical fire.

"Please, My lord, call me Eä." He smiled as though bemused.

"Eä..? Hmm... And you, young lady, may call me Lord Daedelus. I can tell you wouldn't call me by my first name, but I see you seem to think that putting a "Lord" in front of it makes it a suitable address. Am I correct?" She opened her mouth to say something, but when she was too startled to say anything, she nodded. This man, this relaxed, down to earth, fatherly man was the Lord of Zeal? Husband to the crazy Queen who ended the world? Father to two of the most important people of all time? He smiled again, and she realized he had summoned a platter of refreshments. He poured himself a glass of something after she politely accepted and drank from her glass, then took a sip himself before continuing.

"I'll get to the point eventually, I promise. Now, Miss Dinn, the gurus marked you off in their reports as someone very special. Or, to put it in their own words, 'a prodigy not seen for many years, be that good or bad... An odd child with no sense as to what she will do with the power she possesses. Someone who cares nothing for magic, though many would destroy the universe to have a taste of the power she could hold.' The list goes on and on. Would you care for me to continue?" She shook her head, unsure of what he was getting at.

"I'm a normal human being, Lord Daedelus... I've flaws which were not stated in your report, just like anyone else would." The king sat back, eyeing her over the rim of his glass.

"But both you and I know, Miss Eä, that you are not a normal human being. At least, you are not the norm for this place... You have no need to hide anything from me, my dear lady. I am a harmless man simply in search of a few answers. You will answer my questions if you can, will you not?" Eä stammered for an answer.

"I.. I don't know what you mean, My Lord. I am an ordinary girl-" The king stood up, heading towards the windows

"... Follow me, Mis Dinn. Look out below, what do you see beneath us?" She stepped cautiously behind him, peering at the serene kingdom.

"I see peace. I see many people, all tucked away in their beds , getting ready for a new day." Daedelus nodded.

"That, Miss Dinn, is what I am trying to preserve. Peace. Serenity. Harmony. I want all those who hear my name remember this as the era in which peace prospered, and that both earthbound and enlightened alike could coexist, side by side. Do you understand what I am saying Miss Dinn?" She frowned.

"Yes, but I am unsure as to why it has a connection to me, My Lord. I am but a simple peasant." The man's lip twitched, and he commented quietly,

"Miss Dinn... You keep stating that you are an ordinary girl with nothing important about you that might cause a threat to the kingdom. But how many normal girls of your age have done time travel, been trained by skilled swordsmen, and have a tendency to know the future of those around them?"

Whatever guard Eä thought she had vanished. She had no idea as to how he knew what he did, but she was determined to find out. She backed away, examining him more carefully. She spun away from him for a moment, then began to laugh quietly.

"How did you follow me here, mystic? I thought I put you out of action for a while. Or did destroying my fiancee and deforming my friend give you enough power to revive quickly? Did you know we would come here? And if, what is the purpose of this venture? Why not destroy me now and get it over with? Why the disguise? Show your true form, Magus, I don't want to be killed by a shadow... But then again, you always were a demon of the darkness... " A dark chuckle resonated throughout the room, and the guise of the friendly man slipped off. There, in his full armor and fearful glory, stood the Magus. His dark red eyes glittered menacingly.

"Very observant, human, I commend you on your keen observations. However, they will do you no good here in his place. Here, I am the law. Bow to me, petty human. I am your master, your life is mine, and mine alone!" She fell forward, crushed by an overpowering force from behind. She laid motionless on the ground, face on the cold marble floor.

"What do you want from me, demon? Why do you haunt me so?" His piercing laughter echoed in the room, and she felt her head be raised from the floor. Her eyes met Magus' and held them for several moments.

"You're mine. I've claimed you, I am the reason you're here. I summoned you, and you will obey me as your summoner. I will have you, or no one will.." He brought her up in his arms, with her unable to move. Bringing her closer and pulling her into him, he smiled darkly. "That fool Cyrus cannot help you anymore... You are my prey... I will get what I want!" He put her lips to his, sending cold shivers down her spine. She blinked away a tear.

'Cyrus... Help me...please... help...'

"I will get what I want... You cannot escape me... I am your master!" She suddenly surrounded by a fog, and found herself to be floating above a waterfall by which a battle was being fought. A brilliant flash of gold made her look over to see her knight charging at the Magus without a weapon, and then the man was engulfed in flames. The boy behind him fell over the cliff., the shadow mage simply laughing. He looked up at her and mocked,

"I will find you, human. Let this be a warning. You cannot escape me, I have claimed you. You are mine." Another tugging feeling brought her closer to him, and she struggled with all her might as he grasped her again, tighter, and with an easier movement, upon the shoulders. His face began to fade, and she opened her eyes to find herself being shaken by the king, a deathly pale expression on his face.

"By the Gods, child! Why did you drink? The gurus said you could sense poison, but obviously they were incorrect. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you at all, I just wanted to prove or disprove a point...- what is the matter, girl? You're shaking like a leaf!" She shook her head, trying to clear it of the visions she'd just had.

"I'm sorry... your Majesty... I just... I... had a dream, I thought... I saw..." She turned her head away, not wanting the king to see any tears fall as she tried dealing with fear and grief. A handkerchief came into view as the king held her shoulder for support, trying to calm her down.

"I'm sorry, my dear girl.. I didn't realize it offended you so... Please, stop.." She sniffed, but couldn't stop and ended up throwing her arms around him as he tried to calm her like her father.

"I'm so scared... And... I don't want to be here... I want to go home, but I don't know how... Everyone I ever befriends ends up dead or hurt, but I never mean them any harm! I've lost the only people who ever really cared about me, and now someone's after me but I'm completely defenseless against him... I just don't know what to do... I don't want to go to sleep, because I'm haunted in my dreams by those who I let down or those who are after me... I just want a normal life again..." The King, somewhat surprised by her embrace but not alarmed, tried to calm her by talking smoothly.

"Hush, child... If you would permit me, I would like to know your past. It will only take a moment, it is all visual so you will be able to control what I see, and it won't hurt a bit. It may help me help you end your fears. What do you say?" She nodded, wiping away another tear.

"What.. Must I do?" Daedelus sat back for a minute, chanting a low and soothing spell. A silver sphere appeared in front of the, and to the side of them an almost invisible screen flickered up. The king Pointed to the ball.

"Put your hand here, and the images will form here. It is a simple procedure, and you may stop at any time. Will you do this?"

She looked down at the ball, then back up at the king. "I can show you what I want? You wouldn't mind me keeping some things from you right now?" He smiled again, reassuring her.

"No, I don't mind. We've all got our own secrets, and if, in the future, you feel like it, you may tell me then. All I want to do now is understand a little more about where you are from, and what kind of life you led before you came here so that your time spent in this kingdom is as peaceful as can be." She looked at him again, then lightly put her hand on the sphere.

An image flickered onto the screen, fuzzy at first, then it focused. Ea gasped in surprise. Her mother, Father, and her little sister were all sitting at the dining room table, smiling and exchanging news on the day's events. Ea blinked away a tear that began to form. ' So, time was passing back home too... and they didn't even notice she was gone...' The image faded, and her school came into view. All her friends were outside, then they turned and waved in her direction. One of her best friends ran up, yelling

"hey, Eä! There's a new guy who just arrived in town, didya hear? Oh, and I was wondering, could you do me a quick sketch of that Folken character in VOE? You said you'd draw something for me..." Suddenly, she saw the park, Cyrus curled on her lap, and sketch book in hand. She looked over as the king gave a chuckle.

"That is a picture of my son, is it not...?" The sky suddenly darkened, and there was a flash of light. A somewhat shady image of what looked to be Magus in his spell room came into view, and she watched in fear and awe as he seemed to be casting a spell of some sort. There was another explosion, and the mage fell to the ground. Shivers went through Eä's spine. 'Is that what he meant by summoning me? Magus is the reason I'm here?' The screen went blank, only to be replaced by the beautiful scene in the mountains. Cyrus appeared to help her, and her last half a year's adventures flashed by in a matter of minutes. The attack on the village, the dance, and then the horrible instance in the inn where she was drugged. The scene suddenly skipped ahead, and Glenn was attacking the smiling Magus. Glenn was sent into the water, and she got up to strike out at the mage. The image blurred as Eä tried to erase Magus' face in case the king might see, but he suddenly grabbed her arm.

"Wait a minute, child. Who is that man in the cape?"

"Who, your majesty?"

"The one with the large curved weapon. Can you concentrate on his face so that I might see it clearly?"

"Your majesty, I don't think I should-"

"I'm asking a favor Miss Dinn. I know you're from the future, and that this young man has some significance to time, else he would not appear in your recollected thoughts that I am witnessing. I'm asking a simple request, though I could, if I wanted, extract it from you." She shook her head.

"I can't, Lord Daedelus. He-"

"Please, Miss Dinn. This is the last time I'll ask you." She looked at him, then stuck her hand on the sphere again, turning away from the image it projected. The king of Zeal studied the man's face, and without removing his eyes from the picture, asked, "What is his name?"

"Magus, my Lord."

"Magus... or, do you mean, rather... Janus...?"

Eä looked away. "You weren't... supposed... to find out..." The king shook his head sadly. "It wouldn't matter, I know that face anywhere. He looks like... me. He's a handsome chap isn't he?" Eä glanced at the king, a smile frozen on her face.

"Uh... Yes, I suppose so... But, I'm afraid he doesn't have a good reputation where I came from. He's not the same as he is now, your majesty. Your son, young Janus, is the sweetest, most adorable little kid I've ever met. I'd much rather have him as a little brother than my little sister back home. But, Lord Daedelus, when he grows up..." Daedelus looked at the mage with a saddened glance.

"He's going to become a shadow mage. I've never met a good shadow mage, or one that has any pity. They're monsters, they all thirst for blood, killing whatever gets in their way, and thriving on suffering. Tell me Eä, tell me why my little boy will warp into, that, that... necromancer!" She hung her head.

"I can't tell you the future... It might stop the flow of time from going normally... or stop it all together." The king didn't look up, his fingers were pressed to his brow. "You told Cyrus what would happen to him, and yet he still died. You told Janus- no, Magus- that you knew his future, and yet time continued steadily. Though the future might be painful for you to speak, and I might in fact be bringing my own destruction by my asking, I am requesting to know why my son went against the teachings of his family and friends." She put a hand on his shoulder. "It wasn't his fault! He didn't have a choice! I... suppose I can tell you what I know... Though not even I know how everything really happened. You saw how I came to my knowing everything, so I don't have complete data on everyone. I'll... tell you what I do know." She sat down and gave him a full account of what was to come; Lavos, the destruction of Zeal, Janus' transportation and the mystics.

The king listened solemnly, and when she finished, he managed a weak smile. "Thank you. It makes it somewhat more bearable to understand what caused- what will cause my son to do those things. I'm sorry for your loss of Cyrus, he sounded like an honorable man. Please, for my sake... forgive my son. I know it doesn't make everything better, nor does it ease your pain, but... " She hung her head.

"I know.. At first, I swore that I would have my revenge. But, after meeting your son as Janus, I couldn't do anything to harm him; now, or ever again. I'm angry with Magus for killing Cyrus, but... I have to learn to go on living without him. Until I can get my hands on a Chrono Trigger to revive him, I've gotta keep going, trying to live like he wanted me to. I only wish there was something more I could do for you, I hate to give you such news when you're giving me a place to stay, and a place to learn magic. I'm sorry for being the bearer of such ill news..." He stood up, and offered her a hand.

"My dear, time will pass as it must. If it is the will of Fate that these things will come to pass, then we must simple smile and follow our paths. That doesn't mean, however, "he said winking, "that we sit idly by and don't try to stop bad things from happening. I, for one, will do what I can to try to make Janus realize not to use his magic for evil purposes. I know he will have to become a mystic, but that doesn't mean that I can't make him feel guilty about it." Eä smiled, and took his hand.

"Believe me, Lord Daedelus, he'll do anything you say to him. He's only spoken of you with love and adoration." The king smiled, and took her to the door.

"I'm glad to hear it, I do love him, despite all the impish things he does. Goodnight now, Miss Dinn. And not a word of what was said in here should pass these doors, I don't want to upset anyone with prophecies of doom. Let us both don happy faces, and speak nothing of this." She nodded, and stepped out the door.

"Oh, your majesty?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes?"

"Schala wanted me to ask you who I am the apprentice of. She said that... if you would okay it..." The king nodded.

"She can be your teacher, as long as you two work well together." Eä brightened and bowed happily.

"Thank you Lord Daedelus, for everything! I hope that I will be able to repay you one day." The king laughed before closing the door.

"Oh, you will, my dear. Just keep that son of mine in line when you have the chance, alright?" A shadow stepped out from behind one of the pillars nearby, and she turned to smile at the spy.

"Janus! It's a little late to be out tonight, isn't it? Do your mother or sister know you're up and about at this hour?" He shook his head, frowning.

"No. Why were you and Daddy talking about me..? What did he mean, keep me in line? Were you two talking about me the whole time?" She laughed and knelt down to talk with him more comfortably.

"Of course not, silly! He just wanted to know about my past, that's all. But why are you out of bed? Bad dreams?" He shook his head, a worried look on his face.

"No... I felt the black wind... I hate it when I feel the black wind! It's so scary, so cold..." Eä put a hand on his shoulder.

"Want me to put you back in bed? I could tell you a story or something. I used to put my little sister to bed, you know." Janus looked up at her sleepily.

"Will you stay till I fall asleep?" She nodded, and turned down the corridor leading to the prince's room. Opening it softly, she walked over to the bed, moving Alfador a little and putting the boy back under his covers. Then she sat down in a chair by the bed, and said,

"Alright, what kind of story do you want? A fairy tale? An adventure? A tall tale?" He mumbled sleepily into his pillow,

"First thing you said." She smiled and then sat back in the chair. "Alright. This one's called 'Jack and the Beanstalk.' Once upon a time, there was a beautiful kingdom that prospered due to the magic harp that laid in the castle on the hill..."


	17. Magical Schemers!!

Magical Schemers!

Ch 17

Both Eä and Janus were found the next day in the boy's room; Janus curled up around the kitten Alfador, and Eä slumped over and snoring softly in the chair. Schala was the one who discovered them, and decided to awaken her new apprentice first.

"Eä... Wake up! Eä!" Eä sat up with a jolt.

"It wasn't me, it was sis! ...Wha..? Oh, good morning Schala. Where am- oh yeah, now I remember. Geeze, what time is it? And where'd Cyrus go?"

_-I'm here. Unlike you, I don't enjoy sleeping the day away. I was up early, getting breakfast. And since you were in that chair in most uncomfortable position, I decided to sleep here, on the bed, next to the brat.-_ Cyrus' head poked up, and he stretched slowly before sauntering over to her lap. Janus, disturbed by the noise, stirred and awoke. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, the grinned happily when he saw the two girls in his room.

"Hi Schala! Hi Eä! Are you two gonna do magic today, or are you gonna go catch some rays?" His sister looked down at him blankly, but Eä chuckled as she stood up, once again disturbing Cyrus. The cat twitched his tail and went off sulkily, probably in search of mice.

"No, sorry, no sunbathing today. I was hoping that your sister would be able to teach me a little magic today- that is, if you didn't have anything planned today, Schala, and if you don't mind." Schala tilted her head, calculating.

"Well... I've got a lesson of my own with Gaspar later on, but this morning is free. After we're done, I'm sure you'd want to rest. It takes a lot out of the earthbounders who've only just been enlightened. So, we'll work for an hour or so, then you can have the rest of the day off. How does that sound to you?" Eä smiled in agreement, and Janus jumped out of bed.

"Yeah! Then we can go do something, and you can tell me more stories and then we can go tease the nu again, and-"

"Janus! You've got your own studies, remember!" The boy looked downcast. "I know... But the Gurus'll wanna have time to talk to Dad, so then I can take off the rest of the day too!" Schala frowned, and shook her head in exasperation. She gave him a little shove over towards his bathroom, and said,

"Go get dressed. Unless you want to go out in front of everyone in your night shirt." The boy ran off, Alfador following him like a shadow, and the two girls left to allow Eä to freshen up before getting to the lessons.

The two girls and Cyrus he was still angry about not being able to sleep in her lap, but stated that wouldn't miss her making a fool of herself for the world arrived in one of the many practice rooms that filled the southern wing of the castle. Schala sat down in a chair across from Eä, handing her a small dog-eared book.

"My first book of magic. It's a simple read, but it had lots of information that will help you learn to draw on your power when you need it. Now tell me, what is it like when you've cast a spell? Do you feel anything?" Eä described the odd tingling sensation, and the princess nodded.

"That's normal. It'll go away soon, after you've started using up the reserves you have. Once they've reached their normal levels, the excess magic won't be there to create the sensation. Now, we'll start with doing some basic exercises, which will test your reflexes. I'll start by sending little bolts of lightning to you- they won't hurt, they'll just make your body realize it's being attacked and create a force field around you. Once you've done this, you'll have opened up your energy channels and I can teach you how to keep them open and how to close them. Now, get ready!" Without a moment of hesitation, the princess sent a zap towards Eä, hitting her in the shoulder. Eä yelped in shock, and Schala scratched her head.

"It's supposed to force you to make a magical shield... Oh well, we'll keep trying." Trying again, Schala aimed at Ea's other shoulder, and this time, a weak white wall of flames went up around the area, lessening the sting of the bolt but numbing her shoulder with the odd pins and needles sense. The young princess nodded happily.

"Yes, that's it! Now, when we try it again, maybe it will protect you even more." They practiced several more times, each time the flare growing brighter and stronger. Eä was surprised and somewhat relieved that the peculiar magical flow had subsided to a barely noticeable pang of sporadic tingles, and nothing more. After several more successes with a barrier, Schala paged through her dog-eared book and pointed to a paragraph with a picture of a hand holding fire in it's palm next to the characters.

"This is what you'll learn next; being able to create the various elements in small amounts with your hand. When you get more advanced, you'll be able to do this without moving at all, but for now you'll be able to practice lighting your hand on fire. It's actually kinda funny looking at first, to see your finger burning like a candle and not feel anything. But it can be really useful, especially if you're stuck without tinder in the snow." Eä watched the younger girl with mild amusement. _I know, I've seen magic be used without hand gestures. It's nothing pretty, believe me. I wonder if she's even seen a shadow mage before, or knows what they're capable of..._ She snapped back into attention when she found the princess waving a hand in front of her face.

"Are you okay, Eä? You look a little sick... Do you want to stop and go rest?" Eä shook her head, shaking off the gloomy look and putting on a smile. _I've got to stop thinking like that. I've got to think about how I can get home, and not about anyone else! I'm sorry Cyrus, please understand my situation. _

"No, show me more. I want too learn as much as possible." Schala gave her a scrutinizing look, trying to see if she was hiding anything. But Eä countered her gaze with her steady one, so the princess quickly outlined what to do. Both were surprised and excited when the spell worked immediately, and the next few trails worked as well. Then, seeing if she could catch her teacher off-guard, Eä zapped a small bolt of electricity at the princess, getting a satisfying gasp as the girl felt the bite of the attack.. Eä laughed, relaxing a bit. Winking, she grinned sneakily.

"Got you!" Schala merely smirked, and sent another, stronger bolt in retaliation. This caused the shield to go up stronger than ever, and Eä didn't feel a thing. She grinned again, and a small battle of shields and sparks ensued.

Half an hour later, the two were exchanging small bolts of electricity, fire, and even a little bit of precipitation. After winning another round, Schala decided it was time to stop.

"You've learned really quickly! I can't believe how much you can do without ever having any training before! But, I think you should rest. Too much for one day can make you exhausted, and since you are just beginning, this seems like a good place to call it quits for the day. Get some rest, you"ll need it." The princess excused herself and hurried off to her lesson, leaving Eä to get up and meander out with her cat at her heels.

_-So, what's it like to use magic and not pass out?-_ She glared down at him, then smiled and started walking down the hall.

"It's nice, I guess. I'm feeling more energetic than normal but I guess that's because I've had electricity coursing through my body for the last 45 minutes. In fact, I almost want to go out and have a good practice with a sword. If not the broadsword I used in 600AD, at least a foil like the ones in fencing back home. I just feel like doing something, not sitting around, you know?" Cyrus jumped up to her shoulder.

_-No, I don't know. But you can always rub my back or scratch my tummy. That's being productive and following your one true purpose: to pamper me.-_ She smirked, petting him as she made her way down the halls.

"You're a snobby little thing, you know that?"

She continued down the hall, trying to decide if she should go see if the knights and soldiers would allow her to practice, or if she should just go visit one of the magic cities on the lower islands. On one hand, even if she was allowed to go fight with the knights, Dalton would be there and she'd have to deal with his remarks and flirtings. On the other hand, she wasn't dressed to go down to the earth to pass through the necessary skygates, and she didn't want to have to go get changed again. Another solution popped into her mind as she saw the young prince stealthily but hastily running from a room with a mischievous grin on his face. Cyrus flicked his tail in amusement.

-_The brat has something up his sleeve. I bet he's set another one of those magical contraptions that go off again. Alfadore was telling me about how the boy was making one last night, scheming up a plot to bomb the laboratory. I guess he did set it up after all.-_ "The Brat" was so satisfied with himself, he didn't notice her until he bumped into her and fell back. Helping him to his feet, Eä opened her mouth to ask him what he was doing, but Janus put a finger to his lips and motioned her away. When they had retraced Eä and Cyrus' steps down a corridor, Janus peeked from behind he corner to watch the door he had just emerged from. Eä whispered,

"Janus, what have you done?" The wicked grin grew on the boy's face.

"I set a magic bean in Gaspar's glass of water to start to grow in a couple of minutes. I was gonna set off a magic bomb, but they found it last night before I was done. This'll be fun enough though, and he won't be able to blame me this time cause he won't be able to catch me!" A large "POP!" was heard from the room, and the shattering of glass. A cry belonging to Gaspar was heard, and a small explosion set of a white smoke and several various pieces of apparatus came flying out. A moment later, the old man stomped out, rubbing his glasses on his soiled robes, shouting that he'd catch Janus and set him to scrubbing the entire Mage's quarters with a fine tooth brush. The boy, however, didn't hear his words, nor did Eä. Both had decided to part ways instead of being found by the angry mage. Neither had a desire to be found by a powder covered high mage in a temper, and face the consequences of his wrath.

After stopping to catch her breath, she glared down at the cat who was silently cleaning himself. "You said that he needed those beans for a surprise flower garden for his mother and sister. You didn't say the extras would be used in an act of crime." The cat licked his lips, then rubbed up against her legs, calming her down with his insistent purring and rubbing

-_ You never asked what he did with the spare.. Go fight with your sword, you need to calm down, you're all in a fuss.- _She sighed, and picked him up, heading towards the main hall. She found the knight's training in the large hall again, soldiers lazily watching, drinking, gambling, eating or chatting. Some of the more motivated soldiers were sparring with staves, which made Eä remember several villains from the Blackbird in the game who were armed with such weapons. She stood watching for a bit, then a sleazy voice behind her made both her and her cat growl automatically.

"I'm surprised to find you here, Miss Dinn. I didn't know you fancied sparring matches, or I would have invited you to come and watch. What brings you down here? This really isn't a place for a lady..." He looked down at her, almost sneering as he said the words. He was obviously waiting for a meek and humble, or a tittering and blushing reply. He obviously didn't know Areä Dinn. She returned the smile with equal disdain, and said simply.

"I wanted to get some practice in before I go rest. I'm bored." Dalton seemed confused, then gave a deep chuckle.

"You must be mistaken, there are no musical instruments or magical devices here. Only weapons." She smiled sweetly, and ignored Cyrus' stream of curses in her ears.

"I know. That's why I came here instead of the mage's quarters. I want to get some practice in before I rest." Dalton's eyes widened slightly.

"P-practice? You mean , with a sword? YOU?" She nodded, then felt a sudden chill as all noise ceased. Looking around, she found the entire room stock still, staring blankly at her.

-_Now look what you've done. You've silenced the room and made a complete fool of yourself. You'd better not back out now, or you'll be the laughing stock of this whole kingdom, and you'll never live it down.._- She silently answered him, _Thanks for your support, cat. _Dalton seemed to have recovered his "cool" style immediately, though obviously she'd shaken him up a bit. He smiled with a tint of humor, and spoke with a disbelieving tone.

"So you think you know how to hold a sword, Miss Dinn? Tell me, have you ever held a weapon in your life?" She stepped up to oppose his mockery.

"I had fencing lessons everyday since I was six, give or take a few days. Then, when those stopped, for the last few months, I was under the guidance of the knight captain of a prestigious kingdom, and his friend was also a tutor. They taught me how to use a broadsword, spear, and brass knuckles. So yes, I would hope I knew how to hold a sword."

Several of the men began to talk amongst themselves, and Dalton seemed unsure as to what to do. Would he take the risk of losing a chance with the girl, or would he let her make a fool of herself to keep his manliness intact? He decided quickly without giving the former a thought. He couldn't allow his "prestige" to be destroyed. Putting a gloved hand to his face, he pretended to ponder for a bit. The men waited anxiously to hear his verdict. Finally, the captain gave a sign of decision.

"If you want to use one of our swords to practice, and maybe even spar with someone, you'll have to prove yourself worthy of such an honor. Are you up to the challenge?" He raised an eyebrow, as though daring her to take his offer. He gasped along with then other men when sh nodded, while others burst into laughter.

"Okay, I'm game. Who do I have to beat?" Dalton paused to study her, finding only a cool confidence in her gaze, which made him somewhat uneasy. _Odd. Why is she so confident? Can she actually be telling the truth? Surely no one would have a female knight! This could get interesting... I'll let her call her bluff. But if she isn't lying... Who am I kidding, she'll be down before the man raises his sword. Let's see how you do, girl. Do you honestly think you can beat my men, my Zealan crusaders? _Cyrus was also irritated and cautious.

_-What do you think you're doing? You can't possibly be considering playing his game. What happens if you're hurt, or if you get humiliated What will you do then? _- She picked him off her shoulder and put him down on the ground, nudging him with her boot. She didn't need his crap at a time like this. Dalton seemed to have decided, so he stood back, and called out a name.

"Fairewind!" A tall, lean youth emerged from the crowd, saluting smartly.

"Sir!" Dalton smiled and pointed at Eä.

"You will spar with this girl, and show her the power of our Zealan Crusaders, and our Zealan Knights. Is that understood?" The boy nodded, and Dalton turned to Eä. "Your opponent, Miss Dinn; Ark Fairewind. He is the top rank of his class, and an excellent swordsman. Don't worry, he won't harm you in any way. There is still time to withdraw this silly-"

"Nonsense. I wouldn't dream of it. I finally learn your name then, Ark Fairewind. I meant to ask you earlier, but now I don't have to bother. Are you ready, or are you just going to stand there all day?" The boy opened his mouth to reply, the turned it into a grin.

"You need a sword first." She looked over the one offered to her, then shook her head and gave a darting glance over at Dalton.

"This blade is bad. If we were to lock blades to my left, your right, this whole thing would snap. No, don't you have a real blade? May I go choose one?" Dalton bowed mocking,

"Of course. Take whichever one you want. They're over there." He showed her to the wall, where several more weapons laid in their sheaths and on their pins. After carefully examining several, she moved to pick up the largest sword there was: a long broadsword, half as tall as she, about half a foot wide. The men laughed as she went to examine it, the once again fell quiet when she lifted with her right hand and swung it with relative ease. After several more quick darting movements, she glanced over at Ark, who seemed a bit paler than before.

"Ready now?" He gulped and nodded, walking to a cleared space in the center of the room, outlined by a white circle. Dalton cleared his throat, making sure no one had forgotten he was there, and stated the rules. "First one to cross the line loses. First one to shed blood loses. First one to call pax loses. First one unconscious loses. Questions?" Both shook their heads, and watched their opponent carefully as Dalton announce they should begin.

Eä studied the boy across the space from her with interest. There was a definite resemblance to Cyrus, but in build and face only. His moves and stalking were foreign, so she'd have to watch him closely until she understood his pattern of movement. He suddenly was gone, and she looked up in time to see his blade coming down in a deadly arc towards her. She blocked, parried, then leapt back, seeing he was surprised that she was able to avoid the blow. He came again, this time head-on. _He's going to try to use his weight against me.. I've got to be ready! _Even as she thought this, he threw himself upon her, steel biting steel and screaming in protest as it was again and again blocked. She once again darted out of the way of his searching blade, smiling the whole time. He returned the smile.

"You're quick." She laughed.

"Only because I don't feel like blocking your second best. If you want to win, you're going to have to do better than that!" He looked around, just barely finding her in time as she rushed from behind. She did, however, notice that he was a bit worried, and kept looking over at Dalton for guidance. The captain made it clear that he could do what he wanted, just as long as he won. With renewed strength, Ark launched himself at her with vigor and power. She smiled, gritting her teeth at the sudden onslaught.

"You're good.. That's what I wanted to see!" Ark smiled, pushing harder.

"I always do try to please the ladies." They both chuckled at that, then grunted as the other tried to better the other. Eä realized quickly that he was using his full weight against her, and that soon she'd buckle under. And what was more important, Dalton and Ark knew it too. Deciding to do something extremely rash, she gave him an opening to her fist. As she expected, he hit her right hand with his sword's pommel, and the blade went flying into the air. However, she was there to catch it as it landed.

"Very good, Ark. I won't be able to use my right hand for a bit. Unfortunately for you however... I'm not right handed." Picking up the blade with her left, she charged full speed taking him by surprise. He awkwardly tried to keep her off, blocking and dodging as she forced him back. The men were riled up, shouting, booing and hissing as their best was being slaughtered by a girl. Suddenly, she stopped, wobbling back and away from him. Unable to stop his sword in mid-swing, it sliced a thin cut along her cheek, cutting off a little of the hair. She winced and started cursing fluently, holding a hand up to stop the blood flow. He offered her a handkerchief, which she accepted; irritated and pained. He tried to help her, as did several other men, but she waved them off, and stood, running a finger over the cut absently. The pain subsided, then stopped. Ark sighed in relief.

"I was afraid you'd have a scar... you're pretty good to be able to heal that quickly and not leave a trace anywhere of what happened. I heard you were an amateur. You're pretty good with the sword too, almost as good as me." She frowned tossing the handkerchief back, but then crossed her arms and studied him again. "So, is what you think of my skills? 'Pretty good'? I've just beaten you, and all you can say is, 'pretty good'?. " He stared at her, and several of the men began to laugh. Dalton came over, shaking his head.

"You lost, Miss Dinn, fair and square. First blood, remember? I'm sorry, but you will not be allowed to fight here. Maybe if one of us invited you..."

"-I'm sorry, Captain Dalton, Ark Fairewind, but you seem to have a misunderstanding, I won the bet, fair and square, as you say. Take a look at your feet. " Ark stared, then looked down at his shoes, and cursed. His feet were halfway over the white line, the border of their fighting area. He had lost to a girl. Shame made him redden, and anger welled up inside of him. He stepped forward to say something, but the knight captain held him back, giving him a look that told him to keep silent. Dalton cleared his throat, looking a bit uneasy and sick.

"So you have, Miss Dinn... So you have... You've passed your entrance exam, you're permitted to use the equipment and sparring area whenever you wish. Does this please you?" She decided not to insult anyone further and nodded, bowing slightly.

"Yes, very much so. Thank you, Sir Dalton. If you will excuse me, however, I believe I will retire for a bit. I am out of shape for being idle in bed so long, and I need a bit of rest. Please excuse me. Ark Fairewind-... It was fun. I hope to spar with you again someday." Cyrus trilled something, and she held up her arm for him to jump to. After allowing the cat to settle, the duo walked out of the bright room into the dimly lit hall, a weird silence hanging over the room. As soon as they melted into the shadows, the room was abuzz with talk. When men turned to speak with the young boy, they found him and the captain gone.

Eä sighed, falling back onto her bed, closing her eyes as Cyrus curled up beside her.

_-Are you happy now that you get to play with your little weapons again? Do you really enjoy it that much?-_ She sighed, staring at the ceiling, responding with her mind. _I can't help it. If I can't run around, I get bored. Unlike you, I can't wander the castle freely. I was lucky to come across them in my miniskirt- can you imagine me fighting in the apprentice robes?_ He looked over her, his eyes revealing nothing.

-_That wasn't what I meant. Earlier this morning, you were thinking about Cyrus, then decided you shouldn't put your mind on him anymore. Then you go and do a stupid thing like mention him again, and go try to train some more so that you can remember times you spent with him. Why were you giving off such odd vibes about him this morning? You seemed confused.-_ She turned over, scratching the feline absently.

_It's just... when I felt the true power I had this morning with Schala, I felt happy- giddy almost. I didn't understand why Cyrus hated the mystics so much, he had always said it was because they had magic, and magic was evil. But I know of people who will use their magic for good_, _and I don't understand his aversion to it. Does that mean he'd hate me if I saw him and told him I like magic? I'm just not sure what to do anymore. I've been taught by friends that magic is bad, but... it feels so right! It's like a part of me that has just woken up after a long nap, fully energized and ready to go. Is this what it's like to feel magic? You want to use your power to see what you can do, and how far you can go, how far you can push yourself? But I've still got much to learn before I can even come close to Magus without having to fear for my safety. I just don't understand. Did I just... I don't know. I just don't want to feel this way, because everyone has told me it's wrong to like magic. But I do! If I wasn't in such a rush to get home, I'd stay here and study it, and become a sorcerous. I want to master it, I want to explore this new feeling... But then, I thought about it; is this the same reason why Magus enjoys killing so much? Does he feel this giddiness, the same contentment that I feel when he casts his spell? Did he feel this way when he slew Cyrus? I'm such a hypocrite..._ Cyrus rose and laid himself over her neck, trying to comfort herby licking her gently.

_-You're speaking foolishly. You're tired, and you've had a long day. Stop this nonsense now, and go to sleep. I'll wake you when I'm hungry.-_ She smiled and shut her eyes, whispering, "Thank you Cyrus."


	18. Written Paths of Destiny

1Written Paths of Destiny

ch XVIII

Life continued on like this for weeks. She'd practice with magic in the morning, spar in the afternoon, speak with the gurus at night. Ark had seemed to gain respect for her, but she remained wary of his remarks and praise. He seemed awfully friendly towards someone who had made a fool of him in front of the entire knight and soldier fleet. But, he was someone to train with, and someone to speak with when she wanted to learn new techniques. He grew to be a friendly rival- not the best of friends, but someone she could depend on to back her up if she needed it. She figured that an ally would be good in this odd kingdom. True, the king did not seem to be angry with her, but he had left soon after that night they'd spoken, and was not due back for several months. Schala had assured her that he did that often, especially when there were so many problems with the Earthbounders, but Eä still felt guilty. To make matters worse, Janus was angry because he figured that the increased book work he had been given was her fault. In a way, she supposed it was, but he'd be thankful in the future. ... Maybe. Oh well, she wasn't trying to make a group of friends, she was just trying to fit in until she figured out a way to get back home... Where had she heard that before...?

She sighed, and Ark looked up, distracted from the diagram he had been explaining. He frowned, then grinned. "You didn't hear a word I just said, did you? I know I'm good looking, but you don't need to daydream about me. We could always make those dreams a reality by going behind the-" She frowned and smacked him playfully.

"Oh be quiet! You think you're so great! I was just thinking, and NO, it wasn't about you." He "hmphed", and rolled the scroll up.

"I guess you're too busy trying to think up ways to flirt with me. But, I'm afraid your women's ways won't work on me, I'm immune to a lady's guile and charms." She smirked, and stood up, offering him her hand.

"Is that why you're always red when I'm wearing my miniskirt?" He blushed when she said this, and frowned.

"Oh, go ahead and think you have an effect me. I'm not the one who's disillusioning myself." She laughed, and sheathed the blade she'd 'adopted'- no one wanted to use it after she'd shown how easily she could hold it, and so she used the large broadsword that everyone had abandoned. Placing the blade on the rack, she pulled off her gloves and took a towel to wipe her face.

"I'm not gonna argue with you, it's pointless. So, do you want to come listen to the guru's droll on about the past sorcerers long dead? I'm sure Belthasar will be glad to have someone new there to file all of his miscellaneous scrolls..." Ark blanched, and shook his head.

"You couldn't pay me enough to stay in a room with that old geezer for five minutes! I pity you, really, and I would come, but I'm on duty, then I promised Melchoir I'd be by later on. Sorry to disappoint you." She shrugged, and waved goodbye as she nudged her cat off of her pile of robes. He grumpily sat up, stretched, and made sure to clean his claws briefly on her over tunic before getting off. She, in response, picked him up like a sack of potatoes and brushed fur off as she walked.

She received a somewhat irritated welcome from Belthasar, and a smug grin from Janus, who was stooped over some books. She picked up a heavy volume, and took her place from across the young brat, setting Cyrus to sit beside her. The ancient wizard cleared his throat, then began to speak of people who had "... built this mighty kingdom from the ashes of the civil war between the mystics, demi-humans, enlightened and earthbound...." He continued until Gaspar arrived, asking to speak with him a moment.

The guru of Time told the two students to continue whatever reading they had while he borrowed the other man. They walked out into the hall, allowing the door to hum shut behind them. Eä continued reading the book in front of her, amazed at what she found. She gasped and winced when the urchin across from her kicked her in the shin, and glared up at him angrily. He merely smiled when he saw he had finally gotten her attention.

"It's about time!! What are you reading that's so interesting? Did you get another one of those storybooks in here again? Will you tell me another one before the old coot gets back?" She rubbed her leg absently.

"Well, it's good to know you're not angry anymore... I'm not reading a storybook right now, I'm reading what appears to be a dictionary of the old tongue of Zeal." He hopped up onto the seat beside her. Frowning down at the book. "Hmph, what could be so interesting about a dusty old dictionary..?" She pointed down at an entry, bringing the volume closer. "This word here: _Areä_- _compound word, ar- other , Eä- ancient name of the planet, earth, world. Together: Other-worlder. Name of Prophetess of FATE, first class elite. "_ Janus smiled. "Hee hee, your name means 'other-planet'... I did always think you were a little spacy....." She frowned, and flipped through the pages.

"Oh yeah?? Well, here, it says: _Janus- literally translates "little brat" Those named thus are often obnoxious tricksters with no sense of humor, often known for having sour dispositions"_

He grabbed for the book, shouting, "It does not!! It doesn't say that, you made that up!! Lemme see it!! Gimme the book!!!"

She held it up above his head, chuckling, and saying, "Oh, but it does!! It does!! It fits you perfectly, right to the letter!!!!" He made for the book again, but stopped as he saw a VERY unhappy Belthasar. He sat down instantly, putting on an innocent countenance, and pointed at Eä.

"It was her fault!" he cried. She sighed, and listened to the 'the-library-is-not-a-playroom-you-should-know-better' speech, and picked up the pile of scrolls she was assigned to file. Heading towards the back shelves, she smiled to herself as Janus was assigned three extra chapters to read and summarize. Oh well, now they were even.

She laid the dusty rolls down on a desk, reading the sides and searching for labels to decide which section she should sort them into. Cyrus bounded over from nowhere, and before she could tell him to stop, he jumped up to the desk, shaking the wobbly thing and making the manuscripts clatter to the floor and unroll as they rattled away. She glared at the cat, and stooped down to pick up the ancient parchments before they snagged and tore. Hastily scooping them up and attempting to re-roll them before Belthasar noticed something was amiss, a particularly odd one caught her eye. Placing the others on the desk and making sure the cat wouldn't upset them again, she sat down to read the flowing and tiny verses inked onto the crumbling paper:

" _From place of peace to place of Fate_

_Comes the Otherworlder, summoner of gates_

_Puppet master of her friends _

_The threads of Fate at her command_

_From simple girl to mystic thief _

_Some call her "friend", some call her "freak" _

_Will she go, or will she stay?_

_Come to love? Or come to slay?_

_Death eludes from being given_

_From mortal coil in both worlds she's driven_

_Or to go against her Fate_

_Break the curse and open gate_

_To unite the two by fire of love_

_Then fade away, past the stars above_

_Let Love's_ _warmth crack heart of ice_

_Of spirit hidden by hatred and vice_

_Then, perhaps, she will find_

_A home within the stream of time_

_On nuptial day of lost royal_

_A return, once hungered, will feel soiled_

_Both shall ache for what they lost_

_Will the Gods rewrite their past?_

_Thus by pact the two unite_

_Angel of day with the Demon of Night_

_Only until the dawn is broke_

_Will come into play the oath that was spoke_

_Will she depart, or will she stay?_

_To this, only she can say."_

She sat back in the chair, pale and drawn. "Eä...?" She glanced over tosee Janus standing by her side, a worried look on his face. She smiled weakly, and tried rolling the paper up, but dropped it because she shook to much to do it properly. She tried again, failed, and stood up as Janus did the task for her. He handed her the scroll which she took with trembling fingers, smiling faltering on her face. "Th-thank you... Janus... Thank you. I'll just put this back..." She checked the side of the scroll, and found it blank. Belthasar walked over, and examined it as she held it out to him. He puzzled over it for several minutes, then ended up shaking his head and returning it.

"I've never seen that one before," he said. "Keep it, if you want it, or toss it. It's just poetry, probably one of the student's works." She nodded, and put it into her robes' many pockets. The guru said they were dismissed, and Janus walked out beside Eä and Cyrus, still worried.

"Why are you upset, Eä? What's on the scroll?" She shook her head, refusing to speak of what it was on. Instead, she smiled, trying to brighten the subject.

"Never mind Janus. How about a quick story before dinner?" He gave her a look as though he didn't trust he, but then finally relented and followed her back to one of the palace's studies, listening with rapt attention to "Beauty and the Beast" until they were summoned for dinner.

* * *

Eä fell onto the bed, sobbing. This had to have been one of the worst days she'd ever had during her stay in Zeal, if not THE worst. First with the scroll, which she had decided had something about her destiny written on it. She had read it several more times, trying to understand what the heck it meant, and failed miserably each time. She knew it was about her, the "puppet master of friends" and the "friend" and "freak" names were right. It was even accurate about her encounters with Death.... Schala had simply told her that it probably was just a coincidence, Cyrus told her out flat that he thought she was paranoid. She closed her eyes, trying to remember all of what had happened when she'd spoken with Ark, which had topped the day off with another low.

_She had gone to speak with him after Schala had said she was dreaming up connections, and found him practicing with his blade in one of the private workrooms. She stood in the shadows, watching him move about the room in his stealthy and deadly dance of swords. His movements caught the flickering of the torches, outlining certain forms and stances. She stood, transfixed, memories threatening to well up inside of her and drown her in their emotions. She was watching Cyrus again, practicing his true passion; his steps of skill, his ballet of sword and flesh. She must have made a noise, for the image faded, and it was Ark again, staring at her as he wiped the sweat from his face with the back of his hand. _

"_Spying again, Lady Eä? I told you, I'd be more than willing to show you all of my true talents...." She backed up, as if to leave, but he laughed and beckoned her in. "Oh come on in, I won't bite unless you want me to... And I have a feeling you'd give me a beating before I ever got that close. What' s on your mind, other than admiring my magnificent body? " Nope, he had a bigger ego than Cyrus, one almost as inflated as her cat's. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts, and stepped up to him. _

"_Touch me and I'll make your ears ring. I wanted to know what you thought about this...." She handed him the scroll, and he read it thoroughly, a slight frown of concentration across his brow. When she told him her ideas of how it might relate to her, he shook his head, disbelieving. She sat down beside him in the large window, trying to make SOMEONE believe her._

"_I know you think I'm crazy, heck, I think I'm crazy, but I know it can't be a coincidence! There are just too many similarities!! I mean, look at this- why are you smiling?" He sat down beside her, and took the paper out of her hands. "This silly little scrap of nonsense has gotten you more riled up then I've been able to make you in the past five weeks..." She frowned, confused._

"_What are you talking abou-?" She was unprepared for what happened next. She recognized almost instantly the same gentle, almost shy kiss of Cyrus, and she was even more surprised when she returned it, putting her hand up to his cheek as he brought his hand to her shoulder. They sat for several minutes, neither moving, both uncertain of what they felt, almost embarrassed of what they were doing. When they pulled apart, both were red, and neither would look at the other. Ark was the first to speak. _

"_I'm sorry Eä, I had no right to do that. I've just wanted to do it for so long... Hey, why are you crying? I said I was sorry!! Gods, I am sorry Eä, I didn't mean anything by it!! Don't cry!" She sniffed, pulling out handkerchief and dabbing at the tears that had formed. He put his hand on her other shoulder to console her, and his cheeks darkened even more when she held onto him, as if clinging for dear life. "E- Eä??" She tightened her grip on his shirt, putting her head on his shoulder. _

"_Why...? Why do you have to be so much like him...? How did you know? Why are you doing this to me?? Why can't you just let me forget him, let me get on with my life, start anew?? Why did you two have to be so perfect??" She let go and stood up quickly, turning to take a quick escape out of the room. He caught her arm, frowning, _

"_Eä, who are you talking about? I don't know what you mean! Tell me, stop struggling and tell me!!" She attempted to pull away from him, not wanting to speak. _

"_No, just let me go! Leave me alone!!" He spun her around to force her to face him, and he kissed her again. But, she pulled away and slapped him so hard her hand stung upon impact, and he released her at once. She ran off down the hall, straight to her room, and shut it quickly, hoping no one had seen her quick retreat._

A quiet knock on her door made her raise her head, and Ark stuck his head in, as if ashamed. He held the scroll in one hand, as if it was his excuse to see her. It turned out to be exactly that. "You, ah.. Forgot this....." She turned away, and he stepped into the room, unsure of what to say. "Eä... I don't know what came over me, but I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, I just... I didn't know how else to show my emotions, and well, you have to admit I did take your mind off he scroll!" She sat up, her back to him, and remained silent. He moved over again, and sat down carefully on the bed_. "Please. _Don't be angry with me...." She sighed, and shook her head, staring out her window at the moonless night.

"I'm not angry.... I'm... ashamed. I'm sorry I hit you, I shouldn't have done that. I was blaming you for my stupid emotions, and I'm really sorry for over reacting like wasn't your fault, it's just... you remind me of my old boyfriend... He was killed moments before I was sent here, and it's been really hard for me to move on. I miss him so much..." Ark put a hand on her shoulder, rubbing it absentmindedly.

"I wish there was something I could do to help you forget him..... Then you could just love me." She turned to look at him again, and he lifted her face to his for a gentle kiss. She sighed, and he wrapped his arms around her, moving her slowly down onto the bed. She felt... almost distant, her mind detached from herbody, as if she were watching someone else being kissed, like in a movie. She almost dreamily asked herself if she really wanted to do this, but her thoughts were to clouded to think straight. Why did she feel so.... odd.....??_ So.... light...hea..de....d.? _

"**Ewww, gross!!! Eä, why are you kissing him????**" She snapped to attention as she heard the loud remark, and looked over to see Janus standing in the doorway, dressed for bed with Alfador standing by his side. The kitten did his famous "mew" and jump trick, as if inquiring the same thing. Eä looked up and found to her surprise Ark's shirt was undone and halfway off. Even more surprising was finding her top layers of robes halfway across the room. She sat up quickly, her cheeks burning so hotly she could feel heat radiating off of them, and she separated herself from Ark, who was glaring down at the boy with almost hatred flaring in his magenta eyes. She scrambled for words, trying not to allow her face give her a second degree burn, as she headed over towards her pile of clothes.

"Janus, what are you doing here?_ Shouldn't you be in bed??" _He frowned up at her, irritation apparent.

"You SAID you'd tell me another story tonight before I went to bed!! You didn't say you'd be kissing this big dork!!" She picked up the discarded clothes, amazed at how relieved she felt to have an excuse to leave.

"You're right Janus, I'm sorry. I'll be there in a minute." He grumpily stormed off, and she turned to see Ark buttoning his shirt back up and putting his vest back on. She smiled apologetically. "Ark, I'm sorry about that... Look, um.... I really do like you and all, but.... can we set some boundaries tohow far we go? I mean, it's not that I don't like you and all, I do, but I just lost Cyrus and I don't want to rush into another relationship. You understand, right...?" He smiled and nodded, walking over to the door. He took her hand, kissing it briefly, then walked out of the room, off into the shadows. She pulled on her tunics, and hurried off in the direction of the prince's room. When she got there, he was still scowling, but his mood improved as she began to tell him the story of Rip Van Winkle, and by the end of the story, he was fast asleep, his face wearing a contented smile.

* * *

Ark shut the door to the study, and threw himself against it angrily. Why did that damn kid have to show up at a time like that?? He had almost reached his goal...... And now, she didn't want him to come anywhere near him! Damn that little Brat to Hell!! He kicked the door, and a cool voice came from the shadows. "I take it things didn't go as you'd hoped....?" Ark sighed bitterly, then stormed over to the table and poured himself a drink.

"No. The Prince came in just as I'd almost gotten her last layer off, and she practically ran off as soon as she had an excuse." He gulped down his drink, pouring more when it was drained.

The voice inquired, "What about the spell? Did you use it?" Ark slammed the mug down in irritation, "Of course I did!! But that kid broke the spell!! I don't know what kind of connection they have, but if I'm ever going to get anywhere, the kid'll have to go!" The voice considered for a moment, then continued smoothly.

"You'll just have to try again, boy. Next time, you'll get what you want; I don't want to hear otherwise. You know what your punishment will be if you fail me... You do want your revenge, don't you?" Ark stared down at his cup, sullenly. The voice raised itself, hinting at slight irritation. "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts?" Ark sighed.

"She's too pure, too unsuspecting.... I don't want to hurt her, she's already been through Hell and back. I think I should just forget the whole-" He was thrown back as the figure smacked him forcefully, making his face darken and swell with a bruise.

"Don't say that, pathetic weakling!! Do you want to disappoint your father? Do you want our dreams to be ruined??" Ark sat up, painfully.

"No, Father. It's just, I'm not sure what we're doing is right." The man growled, then regained his calm tone.

"Of course It's right!! Master Lavos has told me what will happen, what the future will hold for us! All you need to do is keep the girl from loving the prince, and our ideal future will come to be!! Don't disappoint your Father, my son. The future has no room for weak sentiments. You will do what is required of you, and you will be rewarded for your loyalty. Do you understand?" Ark got on to his fours and bowed respectfully.

"Yes Father, I'm sorry. I will never doubt or fail you again." The dark voice chuckled.

"Good. Now, you're dismissed, go get some rest, you're going to be busy." Ark stood up and left the room, heading for his own bed. Secretly, he had always admired his Father as a young boy, wishing to follow in his footsteps. But ever since the accident and his initial meeting with "Master Lavos", Ark had seriously thought his Father had cracked completely. He shook his head, and headed off towards the bunker. He was just tired, and thrown off by his first failed mission.

Dalton sighed in annoyance as Ark left the room. That boy would be the downfall of the all.... Even if he was his son, the captain could not help but wonder how long the mind control spell he had placed on him would last. He was just as stubborn as his mother had been before she died.... Ellen..... Why did she leave him alone with the boy? He had no idea what to do with the child! That's why he handed him over to the mages, they'd know what to do with him. Then he was free to wander aimlessly. It was only until after the accident that he realized how useful a tool the boy could be, and took him under his wing.

Until the accident. He should have died, but mighty Lavos had saved him, let him taste some of that holy power, taunting him with promises of more to come if he did as he was ordered.... He had lost his eye when he had finally made it out of the ice and rocks that had mounded on top of him, but what did it matter? It was only an eye, he still had the other. Besides, the old God Odin only had one eye, and he was known to be the wisest of all the gods of old. Yes... a God.... That was what he would become, an immortal God, joined by the almighty Lavos!

He let out a sinister laugh, which echoed throughout the palace's hallways. For those who could feel it, the black wind howled. The King, Schala, Janus, Eä and Ark, all shivered where they lay, their dreams haunted by visions of death and destruction.


	19. One-way Ticket

A One-way Ticket

Ch 19

Eä avoided Ark for several days, until he finally made a point to speak to her himself. He seemed confident, as though nothing had gone wrong. "Hey, Eä. Just forget about what happened the other day, ok? Sorry to make you feel uncomfortable like that, it was just a joke that went a little out of control. Don't worry about it. K? Now, how about a match?" She nodded, but couldn't help but wonder about his 180 in three days. He also didn't look too well, and she remarked upon it when they stood across from each other.

"Ark, what's wrong? Your eyes look glassy, almost like you have a red haze over them. Are you feeling alright?" The boy opened his mouth to answer, but a louder voice answered for him.

"He's just tired, that's all. Now, Miss Dinn, the training area isn't a social court. If you want gossip, go to the kitchens or the royal court. They'll have the latest news there." Several men chuckled, but Ea frowned, and Ark seemed to flinch slightly. Why did she hate Dalton so much? He was just another soldier. True, he was a jerk, he was stuck up, Narcistic, he flirted with her even though he was about 20 years older than her, he acted like he knew everything... Well, maybe she did have a reason to hate him. She shrugged off his comment and fell upon Ark with a vengeance.

They parried and toyed with each other for several minutes, until the match ended as a draw- both had a sword tip poised above the other's heart. Ark smiled, and she sighed happily as she put the large broadsword back on the shelf. She started to walk off to get cleaned up, when Ark grabbed her arm. She turned, somewhat unnerved by what she saw. Gone was his vigorous, cocky attitude; in front of her was a pale, sickly looking boy. Her brows furrowed in concern, and he pulled her to the side of the arena. She opened her mouth to comment her concern about his appearance, but he shook his head, putting a finger to his lips.

"I've got to be quick, I don't know how much time I have. Eä, I wanted to tell you that-"

"Ark! Where are you? The new recruits are waiting!" Ark glanced to the Captain for a moment, then returned his look to Eä. He held onto her hand, giving it a tight squeeze.

"I need to tell you something before it's too late. I don't know how long I'll be able to las-"

"Arkl! Get over here now! Those are orders from your superior officer!" Ark, smiled weakly at Eä, then stood and hurried off to where Dalton and twenty young men were waiting. His health seemed to have returned, and he began barking commands to the men, who pulled out swords and began stretching exercises. Eä shrugged it off, though not completely. He hadn't looked well, but maybe it had just been the light...

She finished cleaning up in the shower that had been separated for her, and changed into her normal attire of blue robes. She picked up some scrolls she'd been told to read by Melchoir about the history of joining Spirits with weapons, and headed off to discuss it with him and attempt to learn a simple spell increasing a blade's effectiveness. A young page ran up and halted her as she ascended up the stairs, and handed her a note, bowing.

"A message from Sir Ark, Lady Dinn." And ran off to join the other pages practicing with Ark. She looked donw at the note, which simply read:

"_Areä-_

_Meet me tonight, Royal Gardens. Midnight- make sure you're not followed. Need to give you something. _

_-Ark_

She glanced up, and caught his eye, and he winked before shouting at a young boy who had dropped his katana on his opponent's foot. She finally gave up trying to understand him, and left to speak with Melchoir. When she arrived, she found the smith speaking to three very odd creatures. The things in questioned turned and studied her as she gazed at them. Two smaller, sandy colored things that reminded her of mystics started hopping up and down. The smaller of the two, turned to the other sandy colored one.

"Look Big Brother! It's her! It's her! It's her! Isn't she the one?" Eä stared down at the two as they began to hop and converse as though she wasn't right there in front of him. The older of the two nodded.

"I think so, Mune. But we can't do anything about it, we're powerless here. I think we shouldn't have too much contact with her until She gives us the 'go-ahead'." Masa and Mune. She should have known. They looked really weird though. The other, who had yet to speak, must have been Doreen. When they received a sisterly scolding, she mentally nodded to herself. Yup, it was Doreen.

"Masa! Mune! You shouldn't speak like that! Look, you've confused her! Just be quiet, or go play or something! I need to talk with Guru Melchoir." The creatures spun in a quick circle, and two little boys grinned up at her. Waving they disappeared, and both Doreen and Melchoir gave a sigh of relief. The guru smiled, and waved Eä into the room, motioning she should shut the door.

"Areä, this is Doreen, a weapon of the planet. Doreen, this is Areä Dinn, one of the converted Earthbounders." Doreen's eyes flickered as she glanced over Eä, revealing nothing but suggesting she knew more than what she'd admit to know. Doreen held out a hand, which Eä took apprehensively.

"Glad to meet you at last, Miss Areä. We've been talking about you." Eä didn't like the sound of that, and she responded,

"I hope you're not disappointed in what you see. I have to admit, I'm kinda surprised you're a weapon of the planet. I didn't think they were in this game- I mean, I didn't think this planet had weapons." Doreen laughed, and Eä felt like an idiot in front of someone who seemed to know everything about her.

"Oh, I'm not. You're just as I was expecting. Now, tell me, what spells do you know?"

This seemed an odd question to ask someone you'd just met, but Eä decided to humor her. "Schala has taught me a small barrier shield spell, a lightning zapping spell, and a tiny flame dart spell. I just finished a healing spell, and I'm going to learn a spell to enchant weapons. But if you two are too busy, I can come back later..." Melchoir shook his head.

"Oh, no, that's alright. We can continue this conversation-" Doreen interjected. "Maybe that would be best. I still have quite a few things to go over with Guru Melchoir. I'm sure he'd be willing to teach you more later." Giving the Guru a look that dared him to disagree, the man decided against it and waved the stunned girl off. First Ark was acting weird, now the three "weapons" had shown up. 'Why would they know about me? I mean, yeah, I am from another planet, but still, I'm from the future! Or is time irrelevant when you're guarding a planet?'

She sighed, and headed off to get a bite to eat, meeting with Cyrus, Janus, and Alfador. The foursome got a picnic lunch, and sat out on the grass, overlooking the entire floating country. They sat for a long while, Janus telling her all about his day, and what he'd done. She smiled and nodded every once in a while, not really listening, her mind on other matters. She looked down when Janus said in a different tone, "Eä?"

"Yeah, Janus?"

"Are you... happy here?" She raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean by that, kid?" He shifted uncomfortably.

"Well.. You said before that you miss your home and your family and everything, and I wanted to know if you're happy here without them. I mean, you've got friends here, right, so why can't you stay forever?" She smiled, but shook her head.

"Sorry Squirt. I've got to go home. I don't belong here, as much as I love it here. When I figure out how to get home, I'll take the first opportunity." He sighed sadly, and looked away.

"But, won't you miss us?" She put a hand on his shoulder.

"Of course! Just because I want to go home, it doesn't mean I won't miss you! Why, Janus? What's the matter?" He jumped onto her lap and held on tightly. She looked down, trying to comfort him. "J

anus, what's bothering you? Janus, c'mon, you can tell me! Right? We're best buds!" A tear stained face looked up.

"I'm scared.. I had this dream... Everyone was gone, and I was all alone! The wind was so cold... Don't leave me all alone, Eä! I don't want you to leave! Please!" She smiled, ruffling his hair, and smoothing it down, trying to calm him.

"Oh, Janus... You know you'll never be alone! I mean, even if you were separated from everyone for a while, you'd still have everyone in your heart. As long as you remember us, we'll be there, and you'll never be alone. But I have to go, you know that. I have a duty to my family to try to get back. You'll understand one day." He buried his head into her shoulder.

"But I love you! Don't leave me!" She stroked his hair, trying to calm him as he began to develop hiccups.

"I love you too, Janus. I mean, you're like a little brother to me. Just don't forget me, and I'll always be there with you." He looked up, his eyes a brilliant green.

"Promise if you can come back you will." She smiled and gave him a hug.

"Of course I will. Don't forget how much everyone loves you Janus; Your parents, your sister, me. Now, go get cleaned up, so you can get your work done, then join me for dinner, k?" He nodded, wiping away the last of his tears, and scooped up his kitten, running off.

_-How can you love him? He killed Cyrus. Or at least, he will.-_ She shrugged.

"He's not Magus right now, he's just a little kid. I can't hold the future against him." Cyrus gave her a look.

-_So what will you do when you meet him in the future again? Try to kill him again?-_

"I don't know. I don't think I'm going anywhere without a spell to create a gate, so until I get something to help me back, the point is irrelevant. Now, come on, I've got things to do."

The rest of the day passed uneventfully; She finished her little chores, did a bit more practicing, had dinner, spoke with Schala, put Janus to bed with the Disney version of "The Little Mermaid." It was nearly twelve when she remembered Ark's odd note. Hurrying outside to the gardens, she ran down the pebbled ground, hoping she wouldn't be too late. There, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed and staring at the stars was Ark. She smiled and called out to him, and he undid his arms and stood up straight. He seemed nervous, and she pulled him over to a seat. He quickly muttered something and several dim lights floated by their heads. Then, she was able to see his expression in the soft glow. His face registered concern mixed with worry and sadness. She took one of his hands into hers, but he pulled it away quickly.

"Ark, What's the matter? What's happened? Why did you want to speak-"

"You have to leave. Soon, if not now. Get away from here, get away from _Him_." He shivered, and she put a hand on his shoulder, worried.

"Ark, who? What do you mean? Where am I supposed to go? Why do I have to leave? What's wrong? Are you sick? Do you need a healer?" He shook his head, and gripped her shoulders tightly.

"No! Listen, just leave before he hurts you! I- I'm too weak to stop him. I... can't resist him much longer, and I want you safe from his grasp." She put a hand up to his head, and felt it burning. She rose to get a healer to stop the fever , but he grabbed her back down.

"No! Sit and listen before it's too late!"

"Ark, you need a healer... you've got a fever, and you'll get sick!" He shook his head, violently.

"No. Eä, how much of my past do you know about?" She frowned.

"Not much... Why?" He flinched, and stared her in the face.

"Eä... Dalton is my Father." Her eyes widened, and he continued.

"Before I was born, my Father and Mother lived in the court as nobles. They were happy, my mother a friend of the queen, and my father a knight of the king. However, my Mother died when she gave birth to me, and my father left me in the care of the Guru's, determined to find a way to revive her. You see, Ellen, my mother, was the only daughter of Gaspar. He tried coax my father into staying, saying that he'd create a spell to save her. But Father left, and wasn't seen for years. Everyone though he'd died, and it wasn't until I was twelve that he reappeared. He had lost his eye in an accident, but his magical skills and sword techniques had improved tremendously. He was given the position of Captain of the Guards, and I lived with him after that. He told me some time later what had happened, but by that time it was too late. I was unable to escape the spell he'd placed on me." She tried to comment, but he shook his head and continued.

"He had been searching in an ice cave for Dreamstone, but there was a collapse and he was crushed by the ice. He should have died, despite his attempts to cast a spell. It did nothing to save him, but it awoke a creature who came and told him that he could live and have eternal life with him if he followed it's orders. The creature is the power source they're trying to uncover in the caves now, and I'm afraid something bad might happen. That creature was called Lavos." Eä gaped at him, unable to speak, thus allowing him to finish.

"My Father has been helping Lavos reawaken in hopes of gaining eternal life. But he recently told me that Lavos informed him of a power that would stop this from occurring. So, my Father sent me to keep you from the Prince Janus. He said that there's a reason why you two have a connection, and he's to terminate it immediately. I'm supposed to take care of you while he's busy showing the power to the King. He'll stop at nothing to get what he wants. I'll admit, I wasn't attracted to you at first, and I was simply playing lover to fulfill my orders. But as you grew closer to the Prince, the spell has been wearing off. That's why I need to finish quickly without interruptions, in case something happens. I need you to leave, so that no one will have to die. I'm doing this because I care for you- not only as lover, but as a friend as well. Take this, and use it as quickly as you can. Get out of here! Keep yourself safe, make sure you stay away from Janus! Maybe I'm overreacting, eternal life wouldn't be bad, but... These methods are bloody. And I sense evilness in Lavos. Please, do as I say, and flee." She put a hand on his, and looked shocked, but tired to compose herself.

"I can't leave! What would the Zeals say? How can I leave? Come with me! We can break the spell all the way!" He shook his head.

"I'm staying here to make sure that nothing bad happens to the King or Prince. I've got a responsibility to my King to protect him, and I will do just that. If you ever get stronger, then come back, and maybe you can help us. In the meantime, stay away. I... I can't stay longer. Father will notice... Goodbye, Areä." He handed her a scroll, kissed her hand, and vanished with a teleporting spell. She shakily undid the scroll, not believing what he'd just said.

Her life was spinning in circles! First a prophecy, then weapons of the planet knowing all about her, now she knew why Lavos had been awakened! What next? She read the scroll, and started to laugh unsteadily. Anyone who would have witnessed her at that moment would swear she was laughing as a madwoman. But, she laughed in shock, joy, sorrow, and defiance. The first line read: "Guide to Gate Building: A Guide to Long-Distance/ Time Travel Spells."


	20. Captured!!

Captured!

Ch 20

Gaspar nodded approvingly. "Good, Good. Now try going back a few minutes." She chanted the verse again, then concentrated on the scene a few moments before. There was a "whoosh!" and a gate appeared. She stepped through, and it closed before her. She landed in the hall, and knocked on the door where they were practicing. She heard an annoyed, "In a Minute!", then the instructions she'd just been given. There was a "Whoosh!" sound, and then steps that came over to the door. Schala opened it, and smiled.

"It worked again Gaspar! You've done it Eä! You've mastered the spell!" Eä walked in and sat down, looking over the scroll again.

"So, why didn't it work for any of you? I mean, I've only been able to do magic for the past few months, and you've been casting spells all your lives." Schala shrugged, and even Gaspar seemed to be baffled.

"It seems to me that I was not mistaken at our first encounter. You do indeed have the potential of a Time Traveler Elite, but you're nowhere near the level you need to be to do the kinds of spells they'd perform... Are you sure you won't stay?" Eä shook her head, smiling with a little regret.

"Sorry, but I've gotta get home. I appreciate all you've done, but I owe it to my friends and family. I don't belong here, but I'm gonna miss you all." Schala gave her a sisterly hug, and they got up to go make some final preparations for Eä's departure the next day. They headed towards one of the libraries, and when they got there, they found Janus hard at work with some of his pranks. He looked up, saw them, and shoved everything off the desk into the trash, which caused a small purple wisp of smoke to emerge. He put the lid on the can and jumped off his seat to give them both big hugs.

"Guess what, Schala, Eä! I tried a spell today, and it kinda worked! Well... not really, but it would've if Alfador hadn't eaten the beans that went into it. What're you two doing?" Eä ruffled his hair, and then pet the kitten which had been sitting on the table as partner-in-crime.

"Nothing really, just tying up loose ends before tomorrow." Janus' face fell.

"You're really leaving? I'm gonna miss you... "

She smiled down at the boy, but Schala seemed a bit unsettled. "Janus, why don't you and Alfador go find Cyrus? He's going to need a big supper so he's ready to go tomorrow. Can we trust you to go and get him something?" Janus smiled again, nodding, the ran off to fulfill his mission, Alfador close at his heels. Schala sighed and sat.

"I suppose you haven't thought about what you were going to with Alfador?" Eä only smiled, and stood by a window that overlooked the grounds. Schala slouched in her chair.

"I feel badly for Janus. He's going to miss you so much, and when you take Alfador as well..."

"I'm not taking Alfador." Janus risked a glance into the room from his crouched position behind a book case, and saw Schala was as surprised as him.

"What do you mean, you're not taking Alfador with you? You're not thinking of leaving him here, are you? Mother doesn't like cat's, she'd never allow it-"

"I didn't say I was giving it to Janus. I just said I wasn't taking him with me." Janus furrowed his brow in confusion. _'What the heck did that mean? Is she nuts?_' Schala sat up, interested.

"Elucidate please." Eä shrugged.

"It's simple really. I asked your Father if he knew of any Earthbounder children who wanted kittens, and he mentioned a few. We both decided on one boy who was the best choice, and I'm going to be taking him there early tomorrow morning. That's all." Janus couldn't bear to hear anymore. Moving silently into the shadows, he picked up the kitten and ran down the hall, deciding that he wouldn't allow anyone to take the kitten from him. Schala seemed a little sad, but Eä stood, holding a hand to her mouth. Schala looked up, once again confused.

"I fail to see the humor of the situation. My little brother is going to be devastated tomorrow when he finds Alfador is gone, and here you are, laughing! Tell me the joke so I can laugh as well." Eä told her, and the Princess' face lit up, and her eyes were sparkling.

"That sounds like one of my Father's plans! Oh dear, I wonder what Mother will say." Eä peered out the window.

"We've got bigger problems than your mother right now. Your little brother is running towards a skygate with a bundle and Alfador. Once we've got this little crisis taken care of, then we can finish our discussion. If you'll excuse me, I think I'd better take care of this one. I bet he heard us talking, and didn't wait to hear the rest. Don't worry, it'll only take a little while." She sounded almost annoyed, but walked out of the room, and Schala stood up to watch her make a rapid close on her little brother. She sighed, then walked off, hoping that the tempers of both the figures down below wouldn't clash.

"Janus Zeal! Stop at once, young man, and face me! You're going to come back to the castle with me, and we're going to enjoy our last night together even if I have to tie you to a chair and make Gaspar put a smile on your face! Now, pick up your stuff, and lets go! I'm hungry, even if you aren't, and if you don't hurry up they'll send the knights out to bring you back." Janus fell down, breathing hard, then looked over his shoulder to pull down an eyelid and stick out his tongue at Eä. She stood there, a few feet back, a frown on her face, and slightly out of breath. He picked himself up, then turned to face her.

"I'm not gonna let you take Alfador and give him to some Earthbounder! I want him, and he only likes me anyways! You can't take him!" Eä shook her head, then walked over.

"I thought I saw a head peep out... Janus, I'm not going to say this again. I'm hungry, tired, and I have to get up really early tomorrow. Now be good, and lets go. You don't have a say as to where the cat goes, nor do I. Your Father chose the kid, not me, and if you have an issue with his choice , you can take it up with him. Now can we go?" Janus frowned, then turned around.

"I don't wanna... You're gonna leave me, then you're gonna take Alfador away from me and I'm gonna be all alone again. Why are you being so mean? Why can't I keep Alfador? I love him more than any stupid Earthbounder can... After you two are gone, I won't have anyone to play with. What am I supposed to do?" She sighed, and walked over to him. He kept his back turned, and was unprepared for her picking him up and holding him like a stuffed animal. She gave him another hug, and said,

"Janus, I'll always be there for you, even if you can't see me. But running away won't solve any problems. I might be gone, but you'd be able to visit Alfador anytime you wanted. Besides, you know your sister will always be there when you need her. And," she added with a smirk, "you might have more friends if you didn't act so rudely to everyone. Just try being nice, and maybe then people will play with you. I had to learn how to do it when I was your age, so you can deal too. I suffered many time outs before I got it, but in the end it was worth it, I had lots of people to play with." Janus looked up as she put him down.

"But, no one wants to play with me 'cause I'm the prince..." Eä laughed, and started to lead him back.

"Janus, if you met my little sister, she'd be all over you- so much to a point you'd probably want to be left alone again. Don't worry, Squirt, I'm sure when you grow up the girls will all be flocking to you." He scrunched his nose up in disgust.

"Girls are icky." Eä laughed,

"thanks a lot kid."

_Six months have gone by. Can I really make it back? Or will I get stuck in time? Or, will I get back to 592 just to find out that I can't get back home? What if I run into Glenn? How will I explain where I've been? Or... What if I run into... **Him?**_

_Let's see if you made it back like you planned, shall we?_ "Enter." The small creature opened the door and bowed.

"My lord, the generals are assembled, your armies are mustered. They are awaiting your command." The man took a sip from his goblet, peering out the tall tower to gaze over the gloomy atmosphere of his castle. If things went according to plan, she'd be arriving tonight, probably in the middle of the town he was going to raid. How ironic. Leaving the lap of luxury, only to get captured. That is, if those two idiots under his command didn't screw up again. He quaffed the rest of the wine, then turned to face the small imp that was standing smartly in attention.

"Tell them to arm and make the final preparations. We attack at dusk."

"I wish there was someway I could reciprocate all the kindness you've shown me; I'll never be able to repay you for all you've done." The king smiled, but the queen shook her head.

"No, we were very happy to have been of service. If you ever need anything again, we'll be here to help. If possible, come back and visit us again. We'd be glad to hear from you." Eä bowed thankfully, then shook hands with the men who had been her teachers. Belthasar stood tall, Gaspar was going over the spell one last time, and Mechoir was blowing his nose on a handkerchief. Then came Dalton, who seemed happy to get rid of her to cleanse his training ground of women again. Ark smiled bashfully, but his eyes were telling her that she'd better hurry. She gave him a discreet nod, acknowledging his warning, and he gave her an impish wink back. Schala was next, and they exchanged sisterly hugs and trembling smiles. Then, there was Janus; as sullen as the fog that drifted outside. She stood in front of him, and looked down, arms crossed.

"What, no goodbye? No thank you? No, 'Eä, I'll miss you' or 'I put an exploding magic bean in your bags because I'm mad you're leaving?" He shuffled his feet, grumpily answering,

"Bye." She straightened up, and wagged a finger.

"If I hear you've mistreated your present, I'll come back and take him away myself, you got that kid?" He looked up, confused.

"... Present?" She slapped her head in frustration.

"You didn't even notice it? Geeze, I left it on your bed, I figured you'd of seen it by now!" He stood for a second, eyeing everyone, then dashed from the room. Eä smiled after him, then took out the scroll to begin the spell. After several minutes of chanting, a blue gate opened wide, and Eä picked up her cat and small bag of belongings to step through. A loud

"ALL RIGHT! " was heard, and Eä hurried into the gate.

"That's my cue to go! Bye everyone! Thank you for everything!" The group waved back, and the gate began to close. Janus burst into the room, Alfador on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The bright pink ribbon that had been placed around the kitten's was now in Alfador's mouth, acting as a chew toy. Daedelus chuckled, Schala held a hand to her mouth, Dalton, Ark, and the gurus were surprised. Idris was the only one who seemed completely shocked, and she turned to gaze at her husband. The king merely shrugged sheepishly and waved goodbye. Janus ran up and shouted,

"Thank you Eä! " She winked and blew him a kiss, and the gate closed, putting Zeal out of sight for good.

_It's so cold... Where is this wind coming from? It wasn't there last time I tried the spell... I wonder, what will it be like, to be back there? But this time, without any friends, and with magic? .. I've got to get somewhere safe, then try to build a gate to get me home... But first, I'll go visit the castle ruins... To say goodbye to Cyrus one last time. Cyrus... Please, protect us. I fear things won't go as planned..._

They were suddenly thrown out of the gate into the middle of a town. It was cold, damp, and everyone was running away from her. _Heck, I'd run too if a girl with green hair appeared out of nowhere._ Putting Cyrus down at her feet, he "hmphed" -_some welcome we receive-_ She stepped fully out of the gate, which closed behind her and faded away. Calling out to the fleeing townsfolk, she cried,

"Hey C'mon! My hair doesn't look THAT bad, does it?" A fireball whizzed past her side, nearly incinerating Cyrus and creating a massive explosion to her right. She gasped and turned to see what the townsfolk were running from.

The town burned, lighting the sky, tainting it red. Smoke blurred and blinded those still trying to escape from their houses, only to be caught by mystics who seemed to materialize from the very shadows and flames. Eä turned to catch Cyrus' fleeing words-_I am SO outta here!-_ before deciding she'd argue with him about cowardice later. She picked up her skirts, and ran as fast as she could manage in the heavy attire, making a bee-line for the houses that had yet to be burned, hoping to find shadows she could use to slip away. She wasn't being cowardly, she simply had no weapon to fight with, and therefore no way to protect herself. This, however, changed in a few minutes, when an imp attempted to cut her off by slipping in front of her path. They squalled for a few minutes, the imp being short and fat but armed with brass knuckles and rocks. She eventually got a hold of him and threw him over her shoulder, slamming him against a tree. THAT was something she'd learned from Dalton... And she'd thought he wasn't good for anything... If she ever saw him again, she'd have to tell him.

She slipped the knuckles, which must have been magic as they fit her comfortably, then continued on her mission to reach safety, deciding she'd probably make it. Then, it began to rain. _Oh lovely. Just what I needed. WET heavy long skirts... _Trying to run while ripping her skirt to a manageable length didn't prove to be easy, but she spotted an alleyway that would provide cover for a few seconds while she trimmed her attire. She ran in, collapsing against the wall, and battled for a few minutes with the material until it was a foot above her ankles. Not enough for a good sprint, but enough to help gain speed. She turned to head back out, to find the way blocked.

"Well... If it isn't the lovely Miss Dinn... Oh, what's the matter, scared? Afraid now that your knight isn't here to protect you?" She stumbled backwards, only to be hit from behind and thrown to her knees. Slash took the opportunity to pin her to the ground with a steel clad boot and shoved her face into the dirty gravel/mud. A high pitched laughter from behind rang out, and Eä muttered under her breath as Flea spoke.

"Good work Slash, now get her tied up. I think you're right, Garblek, it is her, despite her new hairdo. You'll get a raise back at the castle, and I'm sure Lord Magus will want to congratulate you for finding her. Go ahead and move out, you may return to the rendez-vous point. And you, "she said, looking down at Eä, "You can start saying your prayers! Slash, here are the cuffs from Ozzie, though I don't see why we should bother using them. She's just a frightened little puppy, all alone and wet in th- OWWW!"

The bolt of lightning had reached it's target, and Eä dug her nails into Slash's hands, making him loosen his grip. She whirled around and punched him in the eye, then scrambled to get up. She got about two feet. Slash grabbed her ankle and pulled her down, pulling back her hair and holding a knife to her throat while keeping a knee on her back. Flea laughed, rubbing the spot where she'd been hit, then knelt down to smack Eä in the face. The magician put the heavy cuffs on her, and Slash got up, sucking his hand painfully and glaring at the knuckles which had luckily for him been on the opposite hand as the one that had punched him.

"Look what the little chit did to me, Flea! She drew blood!" Flea sighed exasperated, and picked Eä up by the collar, looking her in the eye.

"I misjudged you kid. Here I thought no human could possess magic, and yet, here you are to prove me wrong! Very interesting..." Eä glared, and retorted,

"Janus is a human and he has magic. Hell, he's the leader of the mystics. Kinda funny, if you ask me, that a _human_ should be ruling the mystics. In my opinion, it proves that mystics aren't all they're cracked up to be." Slash's brow twitched, and Eä could see that she'd hit a nerve. _So.. They don't like Janus... I could play that trump..._ He waved a fist menacingly in front of her face.

"You're just lucky Lord Magus doesn't want you bruised, or I'd-!"

"Slash, get a hold of yourself. She's just baiting you. But she's all talk, no bite. Or at least, she can't do anything with those cuffs on. Just shut up, and let's get out of this bloody rain! Come on, Kid! You've got a date with Lord Magus!" Eä suddenly felt as though she was being pushed by a very strong wind, and when she opened her eyes, she found she was in a different place all together. Was this... The magic cave? It must have been. After she was thrown down to the ground and bound to a line with other captives, the two generals hurried off to the rock face, which opened as they approached. Slash stood rubbing his hand while Flea was speaking with some of the spies and officers in charge.

Eä watched them carefully as she surreptitiously slipped her hands underneath of her, bringing them to her front. She pulled the hood of her cloak over her head, and wished this wasn't happening. She felt tired and worn-out- she guessed it was from the spell. Whatever it was, she managed to drift off into a dreamless and miserable doze. When she awoke, there were others who had joined the captive lines, and the rain had stopped and the sky was cloudy, but there was a flicker of lightning every once in a while. A bright full moon shone dimly through the clouds over the bedraggled captives, and Eä put her head in her lap, wishing this was just a nightmare. But a jolting of the lines forced her to her feet, and Flea's voice bellowed out over the miserable and water-logged company.

"Alright you pathetic humans! Forget any hope you have of escape, it's useless. From now on, you're all the property of the Mystics, and you'll either do as you're told or you'll be executed on the spot. You're all going to be put to work for Lord Magus, so feel honored that you had a part in serving the Lord who will one day rule the world! Now, you scum, bow before your new Master, Magus, Lord of the Mystics!"

There was a crash of thunder, and a streak of lightning followed. Clouds parted, and a tall lone figure atop the cliff was revealed against the hollow moon. The purple-red cloak flapped behind him like a flag, and his Scythe's keen edge shone in the blinding light. Eä could see him smile grimly before leaping down spryly, and landing on his feet like a cat. He strode over to the Generals, and listened as Flea began an animated report. Flea motioned over in her direction, and Eä caught a glimpse of the piercing red eyes as they followed the mystic's finger. They held each other's eyes for a minute, then Eä looked away.

_Surely this can't be him? The little brat from Zeal who only wanted a playmate...? Oh Janus, what have you become...?_

Slash unhooked her chains, then gruffly led her over to the cave's entrance, where she was thrown down to a kneeling position. She made no effort to look up- why should she? She stared at the ground, determined not to catch his eye again, and shivered slightly as rain began to drizzle again. Water dripped from her nose onto her hands, and she could see that less than two feet away were boots she recognized. Boots she used to spend time drawing, cursing when the folds never ended up right. Boots... that belonged to Magus.

A sharp tipped pole came to her throat, forcing her to look up at last. Another flash of lightning lit the face that towered above her. The same face from the ball, the same face from the stream, the same face that had just hours ago looked at her with love and gratitude. He looked her over carefully, the set line of his mouth never moving. Then, he locked gazes with her again, and they simply stared at each other, both trying to read the other's thoughts. Eä felt a tear form, and wrenched her face away from the scythe's tip, and returned her gaze to the ground. This time, she wasn't forced to do anything. Magus turned to his subordinates, smirking.

"So, you buffoons finally did something right for once... Alright, that's enough. We'll move out- put her back in the lines with the others, just make sure she's accessible. Do you peons think you can manage that? Good. Now Flea, when we get back, I want to hear your definition of "unharmed"..." His voice faded off as she was dragged back in line, and the entire company was forced to get up and start slogging through the mud towards the cave. Things didn't seem like they could get worse- but then, shouts from the woods' edge were heard. Soldiers and knights came pouring out from behind the trees, brandishing swords. In order to prevent their prizes from being freed, the mystics at the rear put up a barrier while the captives were forced to run through the mud and into the cave. Once all were inside, the mystic magicians retreated, and the mountainside closed, cutting the knights from further pursuit.

They walked tiredly through the damp and smelly cave, and Eä cursed the game creators for making the thing seem so short and easy in the game. It was twisted and slippery, and in the dark, they often bumped into things, which led to scrapes and bruises. By the time they cleared the cave and stepped out onto the dead earth, all had minor cuts along their legs and arms. The first thing she noticed was that the rain had stopped. The second, more overwhelming sensation was the sight of the immense castle that stretched out over the entire island. It wasn't a simple tower and main body like in the game; large turrets and massive structures stabbed the sky, the enormous gargoyle was in it's familiar position being framed by the moon. They were pushed onward though, and headed towards one of the previously nonexisting sections of the building.

A large portcullis was opened, and they were once again going down a twisted stair. This flight was lit by torch light though, and short. At the bottom of the dungeon, the chains were taken off and groups were thrown into various cells. Eä got one to herself though- she guessed this was what they meant by "accessible". But the cells weren't divide by stone walls, merely iron bars. Eä slumped in a corner away from the others, who had begun to mutter things about "the whole thing being the freak's fault" and that "if Magus wasn't so interested in her they'd all be free."

She sighed, putting her head on her knees, and sat back, wondering how she could get out of this predicament. She thought that magic might be the best solution, but after a few unsuccessful attempts, she remembered they hadn't taken off the cuffs or whatever they'd called them, so she was helpless for a time. She examined them more closely, trying to see why they were so special. They were just simple silver bands- they looked more like plain bracelets than anything else. She curled up, trying to shake some of the rain off her cloak, and fell asleep despite the cold and misery that wafted about the place like a thick fog.

She was awoken gruffly when an Omicrone opened her cell door and pulled her out. She was chained to what she thought grumpily looked like a leash, and followed the large mystic down the corridor, trying to ignore the glares she received from the humans in the prison. The two walked through several dark and still corridors, passing statues whose eyes sparkled- Eä knew that these statues were ones that had sentries hidden in them. They teleported to several different halls, each more foreboding than the next. She began to wish she was back in her cell, because at least she could sit there. But, they didn't have much farther to go. After the last teleportation, Eä recognized the long hallway which led to the throne room. _Which led to Magus..._

The bulky creature knocked on enormous doors that were gilded and elaborately wrought, then pulled her after him when the doors swung eerily open by themselves. They stepped into the room, which, in contrast to the other halls, was brightly lit with torches, and seemed to have some effort put into it's upkeep. She wasn't in the mood for gazing at tapestries, however. All her attention was focused on the man who sat before her on a large throne, with his generals standing and floating behind him. The omnicrone bowed and made a hasty retreat, leaving Eä slightly dripping on the blood-red carpet, glaring up at her captors.

She noticed that Slash sported a wrap around the hand she'd 'injured' earlier, but bit her lip instead of chortling. She was _not_ a happy camper. But it wasn't her that broke the silence, it was Magus.

"I don't think there's any reason for handcuffs anymore. You're a guest in my castle, Miss Dinn, and I hope you enjoy your stay. I also hope you realize there's no way to escape, so there's no reason even think of it." He snapped his fingers, and the bands fell away. She frowned, rubbing her chaffed wrists, and glared up at him.

"What do you want? I've got things to do, you know." He laughed at her boldness, but she didn't seem impressed or afraid.

"Oh, I just wanted to catch up on old times, you know. Our parting was rather ill-timed. It's been half a year since we've last met, and I was hoping to have a nice little chat about what you did." Eä gulped slightly at the tone he used, but tried to muster up as much dignity as a girl in wet clothes with her hair a mess and dirt probably streaked across her face could manage.

"Yeah, well, you deserved it. After what you did to Cyrus and Glenn..." Ozzie hovered forward, sneering.

"Hah! You mean that pathetic little knight and Sir Froggy? They couldn't last for a minute against Lord Magus! Mwhaahahaha!"

"Oh Magus, you should stop feeding your pets so much! Look at your toad over there, he's not only so heavy his feet can't hold him up, he's talking with his mouth full! Shameful! What your parents would say..." Eä pretended to be upset, but Ozzie was furious. He turned bright red and began hopping up and down. Eä continued her taunting. "Oh look, and now he's hopping mad!" Fleas and Slash snickered as Ozzie's head began to steam with anger. Only Magus seemed placid and unaffected by the going ons. Ozzie retorted,

"at least I didn't sleep with a moronic human who didn't know the difference between a good piece of steel and a rusted dagger!" Eä frowned.

"I didn't sleep with him- not that it's any of your business, and it wasn't Cyrus' fault that Masa and Mune let the sword fall into disrepair. Besides, an idiot like you shouldn't talk that way about your betters. Especially when you can't even lift a sword yourself." Ozzie glowered, unable to think of anything to say, and Magus coughed.

"IF I may continue without this childish banter...!" The four quieted down, and Eä returned her attention to the mage before her. He wasn't very happy either, but he was obviously used to keeping a mask of indifference on, because his brief wave of anger was quickly covered again. "Now then, what am I going to do with you... Ozzie, did you prepare the chamber like I told you to?" The fat mystic nodded, then jeered at Eä.

"Hah, wait'll you see your new room, 'sweety'. You're gonna love it." Eä feigned delight,

"Oh goodie, I get to spend the night in the castle!. Do we get dinner with our accommodations, or is there room service? Should I leave a wake up call with you, the bellboy, or at the front desk?" The four mystics looked on her oddly, then she sighed, realizing they'd never heard of hotel service. "God, I keep forgetting how mundane this era is..."

"What's the matter, kid? Can't take a little difficult living? Maybe this isn't such a good time to mention this, but your hair bun came undone. And, you've got a large splotch of mud, right here." He motioned with his finger, and she glared hatefully at him. Her arm began to grow warmer, and she realized that she began to feel magic seep into her hands, and balled them into fists. But, Magus seemed to have noticed it too, for he said,

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Ozzie." Ozzie, who had floated forward, stopped and turned about.

"Why, Lord Magus? She's only a girl; and a scrawny one at that! No wonder Cyrus left her all alone when they went out- they knew she'd never be able to make the climb up the first ladder!"

"Magus, you need to teach your talking toad some manners and teach him that it isn't nice to nose in on other's business."

"Ooo, look Lord Magus, she didn't like that comment! I bet he left without saying goodbye, didn't he?"

"Shut up toad face, if you know what's good for you."

"... I wouldn't push it Ozzie..."

"Or better yet, I bet he told you he was going out for a walk, and you were waiting for him to come back!"

"That's it Toad! You're gonna fry!" She put her hands together, palms facing the general throne area, and tried to summon as much power as she could amass. At this point, she didn't care if Janus got hit, he should have gotten rid of Ozzie a log time ago. Magus, however, knew when it was a good time to teleport, and he, Slash and Flea were able to get safely away from the bolt. Ozzie, still laughing at his own joke, didn't even see the bolt until it was too late. It went clean through the back of the throne, slammed into Ozzie, and threw him against the wall like a water balloon. He slid to the ground in a smoking heap.

Eä didn't get to see her victory though. She was still exhausted from the earlier spell, and she collapsed at the feet of Magus as he reappeared in front of her. Flea looked back at the charred heap of Ozzie and then down at the form of Eä, nudging her with a boot.

"I had no idea she was that powerful..." Slash whistled as he examined the charred remains of Magus' throne.

"Whew... NO wonder you wanted her so badly! Hot_ and_ powerful! Talk about a woman!" Flea nudged Eä again, and got a soft moan, then looked up at Magus.

"Are you sure it's safe to keep her? I mean, she could do some serious damage..." Magus levitated Eä's body up, then held her in his arms.

"I'm sure. All she needs is discipline, and more training. But, until we're sure she won't try anything, I'll make some new, stronger cuffs to block her magic. It figures that idiot would make them too weak. Flea, get that fool to the emergency ward, as soon as he wakes up, let him know I'm not happy. Slash, get some people in here to clean the place up -and get me a new chair! Move imbeciles!" With that, he left, leaving the two to murmur over the mess as they went to doing their tasks.

Magus spat in disgust, kicking the rubble that was part of the wall. That idiot hadn't even bothered to fix the holes in the room. A small rat peeked out, trying to see who had disturbed it's home. Magus shot a fireball at it, charring the small rodent and creating another hole in the swiss-cheese floor. _Not even magic-proof... Not that I'd put her in a place like this..._ The weight in his arms shifted, and she draped an arm around his shoulders, murmuring,

"... I.hate... Chem..srty... Don... wanna.. Do homework... I wanna play... CT... get Magus up to max level... Beat Lavos' sorry as..." He smirked as he listened to her mutter in her sleep, then remembered that meant that she was waking up. He sighed, and spoke to her,

"Well, Eä, I know you're not going to be happy about it, but there's only one other place I can put you until another room's ready. I don't like it either, so don't complain to me when you wake up." He teleported to the room, laid her on the bed gently, and lit the fire in the fireplace. She shivered slightly, so he cast a quick spell to dry her clothes, then laid her cloak over her like a blanket before leaving to give orders to the servants.

Eä groaned as she came to the realization that she was waking up. Her back ached, and she felt like she'd been sick for a week. She opened her eyes, then sat up gazing around her. She was in a lavishly decorated room, a large fire crackling away. There was a large desk by the windows, and an enormous bookcase which seemed to house several piles of ancient texts and scrolls. She was sitting on a large, canopy-styled bed, with dark purple drapes decorated with golden tassels. There were chairs to match, and a sofa-like thing by the balcony. _By the balcony. An open balcony. A way of escape._

She slid off the bed, holding onto the banister as she made her dizzying descent. Heck, even the carpeting was expensive! She wondered why the mystics would go to so much trouble to make her so comfortable, then realized which room she must be in.

"Oh Shit..." She looked around for her boots, yanking them on when she found them, grabbed her cloak, and hurried over to the open doorway.

"I wouldn't go out there if I were you." She froze in her tracks, and saw Magus sitting in one of the chairs by the fire, reading a book. He hadn't even looked up, but then again, she hadn't tried to sneak past him- he hadn't been there seconds ago.

"Seeing as how you don't like heights, I don't believe you'd enjoy the view much... Come sit and have something to drink." She sulked and wandered over to the seat across from him, staring balefully at the fire.

"Why are we in your room? I thought I got a cell." He looked over the edge of his goblet at her.

"Would you rather be in the dungeon then? I suppose I could put you back there..." She sighed, and leaned back.

"What do you want with me, really? You know I was trying to get home." He ignored her and stood up, gazing out the widows over his "kingdom". She took the chance to get a good look at him. With his cloak off, he didn't seem so intimidating as before. He was built like his father, tall and lean, but he had chiseled muscles that his father would never be able to attain. But he lacked Daedelus' jolly mannerism, and his face no longer retained his youthful innocence. He seemed to wear a perpetual frown of anger and sadness. But, that didn't stop Eä from coming to one conclusion: Janus had grown up into a _hottie. _He wasn't cute like Cyrus, charming like Glenn, or impish like Ark: he walked with the grace of a cat, and was proud and arrogant. He'd be the dream-guy of all the girls back home, except for the factor that he was trying to take over the world at the moment. He wasn't a little brat trying to blow up Gaspar's lab anymore, he was a full grown man, trained in battle, and with the intent to resurrect Lavos to get revenge. But he hadn't grown up in his people skills: he still ignored people when he didn't want to bother answering them. _Lets see if you've changed that much, shall we?_

"JANUS!" He snapped to attention, then turned away from the window.

"I'm not called that anymore..." he sulked. She shrugged.

"I don't care. Answer my question: what do you want?"

"Before you were to be used as a tool to stop the impregnable Cyrus, and allow me to take over the kingdom with greater ease. Then maybe something to play with later after your work was done. However, now that I have dispensed of Cyrus..."

"You have no use for me and will therefore release me at once."

"Oh, will I? And why, pray tell, would I do a stupid thing like that, especially after taking such great pains to acquire you? If I remember correctly, I was the one who summoned you, so you're mine by right anyway. Besides, if I was to release you, what would you do once you return to town? Tell them you had nothing to do with Cyrus' death or Glenn's sudden "disappearance"? And what would you tell them of your new hair colour and mystic powers?" She didn't have anything to say to that, so she sat back and sulked. He smiled, then continued. "As I was saying... Now that Cyrus is gone, and you will _not_ be returning to the humans, I will give you food, a place to stay, and a place to learn more magic. How does that sound?"

"...What's the catch? What do I have to do?"

"You've got three options: One, you become my concubine and my obedient servant. This job would come with privileges and less restrictions than the next. That is, that you may return to your cell to be treated as a slave, with no liberties, and I'll be able to do what I want without your consent."

"..And the third option?"

"That you're executed. I'll choose the method, and the date. So basically you could end up as either position before I tired of you. I believe your choice is obvious."

"As do I. Give me a dagger or poison or something and I'll off with myself right now to save you the trouble later. There is no way in Hell I'm going to share a bed with you, let alone allow you to touch me. Pervert!" She snarled at him, then glared angrily at her feet. He sat back and laughed before standing up, which made her turn the full brunt of her glare on him.

"I see... Well, if you're truly willing to throw your life away like that... I'll just have to choose for you, so sit tight and hope I'm in a good mood when I get back. I'll inform you of your fate when I return. If I've found you've tried to escape while I was out, I might just give you to Ozzie..." He started to float through a wall, but she stood up and called,

"wait a minute!" He smiled and hovered back over to her.

"Changing your mind already? And here I thought you were ready to die.. Well, if you don't do any more foolish things like fry my Generals or talk about killing yourself, I won't do anything to you." He held her chin in his fingers a minute, and she smacked his hand away putting a hand on his chest.

"I didn't say you could touch me! Back off! I've got a different proposition for you."

"That being...?"

"I'll work as a servant for you, not a slave, and DEFINITELY NOT a concubine! Maybe if you hadn't killed Cyrus and hurt Glenn, I wouldn't have refused, because you're a pretty boy and I have a thing for blue haired bishounen. But right now you're acting like that sleeze ball Dalton!" He raised an eyebrow at this, and took her restraining hand off his chest, kissing her palm gently and peering into her eyes.

"Perhaps I misjudged you, Miss Dinn. I'll think about your suggestion, but may the Gods help you if I find you've tried to escape. My past acquaintances could tell you that I can be kind or merciless." He pulled her closer, and she started to say,

"Get off of me you jerk!". Instead, she was only to manage a garbled and angry squeak that sounded like "MMnphfftinggff!" Holding onto her even tighter as she struggled, he kissed her harder and more passionately. With her arms pinned to her side, she tried squirming out of his grasp, but she was held in a vice like grip. Wishing more than ever to be able to slug him in the face, she found herself weakening, though this was probably due to loss of breath. Just when she began to think he didn't need to breathe like normal humans, he let go and disappeared, leaving her to fall faintly into the chair.

Mounting giddiness was replaced by livid anger, and she got up wobbly, looking back at her only escape route. Wiping her mouth while running over to the balcony, she glanced back to make sure that he was indeed gone. That Bastard! Heights or no heights, the was no way on earth SHE was going to stay here to be meddled with! Stepping out into the cold air, she found herself at the top of a thirty story tower, and a large and unpleasant looking moat below. Swiftly fighting nausea, she spun back into the room and collapsed with her head between her legs. Hey, she wasn't going anywhere! She should enjoy however long she had alone in the dark while a wizard decided her fate! She should also run to the special modernized and lavishly decorated bathroom before she got sick over the carpet and then really got him irked!

All that was going through Magus' mind as he went off to finish some business was, _What a girl! _And _... What the heck is a "bishounen"?_

Eä had found fresh things laid out for her after she'd finished washing up, and put them on in the bathroom, wrapping a robe around herself and putting her dirty things in a basket labeled "dirty clothes here". When she walked into the room again, Magus was sitting on his bed, shirt off and cleaning his armor. She blushed slightly when she found herself staring, then deepened when he said,

"I know you find me 'pretty', as you so eloquently stated before, but you don't have to stare." She got angry that she was read so easily without him having to look up and retorted,

"the only reason why you don't have a dagger in your back right now is because of that, so don't forget it, Janus!" He put down his breastplate and began to shine the rest of his things. Without looking up, he answered,

"Is that anyway to speak to someone who's decided to let you have your way? From now on, call me Lord Magus, or Magus. NOT Janus." She smiled happily, and gave him a bow,

"Of course, Lord Magus! Thank you!" He put aside his things, seemingly satisfied with his work, then stood up.

"You take forever in there... I can't wait until you get your own room..." He disappeared for several minutes, then reappeared in boxers. She bit her lip, and spun around, trying not to blush more. She heard him get into bed, and then went white when he said,

"well?"

"Well what?"

"Aren't you coming to bed?"

"... I have to share a bed with you?"

"Until your room is done, I'm afraid so. I already told you I wouldn't do anything. You're far too suspicious..."

"No. I'm not sleeping in the same bed as you- it's bad enough in the same room!"

"... Fine. I'm tired, I don't feel like arguing. Sleep on the floor, be difficult. Just don't complain when you're stiff in the morning." He turned over and put his back to her, so she walked over to the sofa-couch thing and laid down on it, using the robe as a blanket. Both went to sleep thinking the other was being an idiot.


	21. Dealing With Detainment

Dealing with Detainment

Ch 20

When Eä awoke the next morning, she was in a bed, snuggled in the covers and a fire crackling in the hearth. She sat up, appalled, and relaxed slightly when she saw that Jan- Magus was nowhere in the vicinity, and that she seemed untouched. She stood up, donning a robe in case he did decide to pay a visit, then looked about the room with a scowl, as if daring him to make an appearance. He didn't though, so she'd trudged into the bathroom to freshen up. She found grey robes that reminded her of her Zealan apprentice robes; only the skirt was shorter, the neck was lower, and entire outfit was more tailored for a closer fit. She sighed as she dressed. She also noticed that "the cuffs", or whatever they called them, were still in place, making magic use impossible. _I guess he really isn't going to let me go... I should've throttled him when he was a kid. _She walked out to find a young girl of about 12 or 14 laying out a large breakfast for two upon a table she hadn't noticed earlier. The bed had been made, and the fire rebuilt. The girl gasped when she saw Eä enter the room, then stood attentively.

"Your breakfast, Lady. Lord Magus will be in shortly." Eä looked over it and decided to pass. Instead, she peered at the girl.

"Who're you?"

"My name is Mirielle, Lady. I'm your maid. I'm here to answer your needs, at Master Magus' command. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No... Tell me, is Jan-Magus always this temperamental and demanding? Does he always lock his 'special guests' up in rooms?"

"... I'm not at liberty to say anything like that, Miss..."

"Oh, so this IS normal for him... What a jerk. I guess he really hasn't grown up." Mirielle stood up protectively.

"Excuse me, MISS, but do not speak of Lord Magus in that way!" Eä raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah? Why not?"

"Because I'm standing right behind you." Eä reddened as she turned and saw Magus leaning against the doorframe. He flickered his gaze to the young girl. "You're dismissed Mirielle." She bowed, smiling, and left, leaving the two in silence. Eä sat down with a "hmph.." on the bed.

"She likes you; keep her and let me go." Magus laughed, and sat in a chair, undaunted.

"I found her, abandoned, when she was ten. I brought her back so she could have something to do other than be a pitiful street rat. Puppy love, that's all. But she's a good servant, she's come a long way. As you will." Eä couldn't help but let out a snicker.

"T'yeah right. I'd never stoop to the level of a mystic." Magus eyed her levelly.

"You're too pathetic to be a mystic right now, but with a bit of toughening up, you'll be adequate enough to pass as a mage- maybe. You're going to be my apprentice for a bit; Slash will teach you more weaponry and military tactics; and Flea will teach you about masks and disguises. Ozzie can only teach you about cooking and fleeing, so he's useless. If you have a problem with that, we can go over your options again. In the meantime, come sit and eat." He moved to one of the heads of the table, sat, then looked at her. She scowled, and slumped further.

The mage's eyes flashed in irritation- she couldn't decide if it was because she wasn't doing as she was told, or if it was because he never had been a morning person, or if it was because she was keeping him from eating breakfast. He murmured darkly, "either you stop being so pig headed and come over and sit, or I'll force you to do so." She glared at him, but stood and walked over to fall into the chair, folding her arms crossly. She didn't touch the food, choosing not to eat with such a jerk. But, he simply ignored her glares and ate in silence. He got up and left after telling her she was free to do as she wished for the day under the supervision of Mirielle. She rolled her eyes after he'd gone. "Fun..."

The two girls walked the whole day, the younger pointing out various rooms that were used for selected exercises, certain types of magic, or simply for assembly. Eä found the castle not to be a single fortress, but a large walled in area with a main building at the center with smaller buildings encircling it. Mirielle pointed out places Eä could and couldn't go, and gave her a rough sketch labeling the different buildings and their purposes. It was near dinner time when they were done, and Eä was led by the younger girl past a large banquet hall where several mystics were already waiting. The conversation in the room fell to a whisper as they passed , and Eä frowned as she heard some of the things spoken.

"It's that _human creature_... Why does Lord Magus want a human?"

"Maybe he wants to eat her... humans are rather tasty..."

"She's the one who injured him months ago. I'm sure he's plotting some type of revenge."

"No. She's pretty. I'll give you one try to guess what she's most likely here for."

"LORD MAGUS? With a HUMAN? That's disgusting!" The final statement was the last one to be heard as they climbed up the stairs to return to Magus' chambers. Eä sunk into a chair at the table as Mirielle supervised several other servants who were bringing in the food. This time, however, there was only food for one, and Eä asked the girl why.

"Lord Magus has to address his generals tonight on issues of important military procedures, and answer a few of the gathered council's concerns. He'll be here later this evening, so you can eat at your leisure and then summon me with the bell if you need anything. I'll be in to take away the dishes after you're through." With that, Mirielle walked into the hall, shutting the door tightly. There was an audible 'click', and Eä was locked in the room by herself. Her stomach growled as she looked over what seemed to be fresh bread, salad, and some sort of pasta. She sighed, but picked up her fork to eat a little. _No sense in being weakened by hunger when she was going to confront Magus!_

After eating, bathing, and changing, she curled up on the sofa thing again, ready to bite Magus' head off the moment he walked in the door. However, time passed, hours seemed to tick by, and Eä began to feel sleepy. _No! I can't fall asleep like this again! I need to be awake when ... he comes..._ The last conscious though she could remember was wondering if the food had been drugged.

She woke up like the day before- in the bed, alone. This time however, when Magus entered, she stormed up to him and smacked him across the face.

"You jerk! Where were you last night? I wanted to talk to you about getting a room to myself! And about waking up in your bed! If you touched me...!" Magus rubbed his reddening cheek, and sat grumpily in his chair.

"Good morning to you too, Sweetheart..." Her eyebrows rose, fury rising as well.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?"

He ignored her, muttering to himself about women never being happy. She sat down, fuming, and he looked at her squarely. "I was at a meeting- I didn't know you cared so much. Your room will be ready in a few more days, and believe me, I'm making the men work as fast as they can. I can't have a woman sleeping on the couch while I slept on the bed, so I put you in it after you dozed off. And I didn't touch you, so stop glaring at me and actually eat something today. I don't see why you're in such a bad temper, many people would be happier in your position." She stood up angrily, slamming her fists on the table which kinda hurt, but she wasn't going to let that on to him , and looking him straight in the eye.

"WHY AM I UPSET? Alright, I'll tell you why! I haven't seen my parents or little sister in over a year now, and now that I have a chance to see them again, you're not letting me go! To top it all off, I've lost my diary which means that all of my pictures and writings and accounts of these past months have probably been incinerated by the fire _you_ had started; my ink well and quill are probably broken or lost; I haven't had decent paper to draw on for over a year; I can't go into town to get more because you won't let me go anywhere and they'd probably call me a witch anyway and good drawing paper hasn't been invented yet ; Cyrus is dead and Glenn will probably never speak to me again! AND I'M TIRED OF HAVING TO REMEMBER THINGS FROM MY WORLD HISTORY CLASS JUST SO I CAN FIT INTO NORMAL, EVERYDAY LIFE! THE ONLY ONE I COULD TALK TO WAS CYRUS, AND EVEN THEN PEOPLE LOOKED AT ME FUNNY BECAUSE I CONVERSE WITH A CAT AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE HE'S RUN OFF TO, SO I CAN'T TRY TO FIND HIM EVEN IF I DID MANAGE TO ESCAPE! YOU'D PROBABLY FIND ME BEFORE I EVEN GOT OUT OF THE CAVE, AND I DON'T WANT TO STAY ON THIS F#)$! PLANET ANYMORE! I JUST WANT TO GO HOME AND BURY MY CHRONO TRIGGER GAME IN THE BACK YARD AND TRY TO GO BACK TO LIVING A NORMAL LIFE AND YOU'RE NOT HELPING!"

She picked up a fork and jabbed it into what appeared to be a pancake, then scowled down at the food, leaving the fork wavering violently in the stack of flap-jacks. The room was quiet for several minutes, neither saying anything. Magus had stopped chewing and she could feel him staring at her, but she was busy glowering and feeling too miserable for herself to look up and meet his gaze.

Then, all of the sudden. he began to laugh. She looked up. Surprised and hurt and even more peeved than before, and saw him putting a hand to his head as he continued to chortle at her. She roared, "IT'S NOT FUNNY!" but he continued to ignore her. She had a very strong urge to run over and strangle him, but the table was in the way. Deciding to overcome this obstacle and still get her point across, she grabbed the closest thing in her vicinity and chucked it at him. This happened to be a salt cellar, which would have hurt very badly, but he saw it in time and stopped it, sending it gently to the table. He was not, however, smiling anymore. Getting as angry as Ea, he slammed his goblet down, making some of the contents slosh over the table.

"When are you going to stop acting so childish? I've been very lenient with you, Miss Dinn, but my patience is growing thin. Either stop this folly now, or I'll be forced to reduce your privileges to a minimum if any status. Is that what you want?" She glowered at him, still standing in fury.

"What I want is for you to let me go! I would have thought that _you_ of all people would understand what it's like to want to go home, but maybe what they say is true- you do have a heart of ice." She turned around to storm over to the sofa chair, because she didn't know if the door was locked and didn't want to make a fool of herself trying to open it and failing. Besides, she hadn't a clue of where any of the halls led, despite Mirielle's tour from the day before. And the sofa thing was comfy However, she didn't reach her goal, Magus grabbed her arm and held her close. She growled, not liking the proximity.

"Don't touch me." He smirked, obviously amused.

"Oh? And why not? You seem to keep forgetting one very important thing- I own you now; I can do as I wish."

"I don't belong to anyone, and certainly not to the likes of you. Now unhand me." He laughed, and she began to feel even more uncomfortable as she noticed the distance between them had closed again. Squirming had no effect, either he had bound her in a spell or his gloves had special traction built in. Whatever the case, he didn't lose his grip. She tried again, emphasizing the "let go" command and trying to kick him in the shin. "I SAID LET GO OF ME! Get away from me!"

"Why? So I won't do this?" He smiled, brushing her lips with his, then pressed harder. She felt her face go red- she wasn't sure if it was embarrassment or anger or both. But he drew back quickly, dark smile on his face as she tried to make him keel over dead with venomous glares.

"H…HOW DARE YOU! DO YOU THINK I'M GOING TO LET YOU DO THAT WHENEVER YOU WANT? AND DON'T YOU **EVER** TRY TO DO THAT AGAIN WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!" He let her go, and she stumbled back, then composed herself as he watched her intently.

"Miss Dinn, how would you stop me? I can make you freeze at any point if I wanted to, even take control of your body and _make_ you do whatever I wish. What's your secret weapon to stop me if I get bored one day and want something to do?" She stood there; resolve beginning to weaken as cold facts stared her in the face. Finally, she replied,

"You wouldn't dare." He laughed, obviously enjoying the 'game'.

"Why not?"

"It'd just be… wrong! I put you to bed when you were four, for crying out loud! I read you bedtime stories! You wouldn't!" He simply laughed again, tossing back his stray bangs. _He didn't care_… She felt even more vulnerable, now that the only thing she thought was keeping him from forcing her to bed with him was the bond they'd shared when he was young was no longer an issue.

"Oh Miss Dinn…. When are you going to see that I don't care about Janus Zeal or his past ties? He's dead, gone, obliterated, destroyed, forgotten. I am the Magus, and I bow to no one." She backed away, now beginning to feel even more distraught.

"B.. But you always use your real name when you've met me before- I don't think you've forgotten who you are, Janus, you just don't want to admit what you've beco-"

"Do _not _call me by that name! I am the Magus, and you are nothing more than a play thing for me! In fact…" He grabbed her by the arm again, throwing her onto the bed then pinning her there. He leaned over, face close to hers. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't try out my new toy right now." She stared at him blankly, then frowned as he grinned and began to kiss her again.

"Because Mirielle just made the bed, and it would be rude to make all her efforts be in vain." He laughed, running a hand down her side.

"I can have someone make it up again after we're done."

"Because the mystics would never approve of their lord mingling with a common, peasant-born human." He simply shook his head, beginning to undo the clasps to the robe she wore.

"They can deal, and you're hardly a common human, now are you? Last chance, Miss Dinn." She gasped as he pulled her closer still, beginning to peel away the first layers of cloth.

"Because I don't want you to! Please, Magus, stop!" He paused, then brought himself back to eye level with her.

"You don't want to?" She shook her head, still worried he wouldn't care and continue on anyway. He looked at her, as though unbelieving. " I see. So it's not alright if I make love with you, but with Ark or with Cyrus it is?" She shook her head again, furiously.

"No! Cyrus never touched me, and Ark was using a spell when you walked in on us. I didn't love him, and I don' t love you! Just leave me alone!" She bit her lip, rather frightened now, but he sat up, letting her sit up and re-fasten the robes, simply watching her. She was almost afraid to find out what the consequence of refusing him was, but he simply laughed, unperturbed.

"Oh, well, it's not like it really matters, I mean, I always get what I want in the end… Let's finish breakfast, I'm still hungry. And don't throw anything at me again." She watched him, amazed, disgusted and relieved. _Always get what you want… I know what you want, you want a good kick in the as-_

"I'm waiting! Hurry up, don't make me regret my decision!" She stood up and sat down across from him, eating a bit as she stared at him he was ignoring her again, so she had plenty of time to get over her initial shock and go back to loathing him. She stirred what was left of her blueberry topping, then looked across at him.

"Why're you doing this? I mean, heck, you could brainwash me and then I'd be a docile servant who'd do whatever you want. Last time I saw you, you were ready to run me through or suck me into oblivion with "black hole". So what's with the change of attitude? Why'd you go to all this trouble to keep me like this? Why won't you let me go?" He looked at her oddly, then shrugged, finishing off his eggs before replying.

"I figured I'd forgive you for zapping me in the shoulder because by the time I finally had you captured, I honestly didn't care anymore. You only stunned me anyway, there was no mark and I recovered quickly. Why should I let you go? You're my summon creature, so why shouldn't I do what I want with you? I'm keeping your mind intact... because I feel like it. And I enjoy seeing you angry. Don't smack me again though, or I'll make you regret it." He stood, turned, and walked through the door, leaving her to watch him depart. She went back to moodily playing with her pancakes.

"Summon _creature_, am I? Hmph! Jerk... I swear, if he ever tries anything like that again….. I should never have listened to Mark about playing CT... then none of this would've happened, and I'd be at home, with Cyrus, sleeping the day away... Or with Mom or Dad,... or even Mellie... God, I miss them... I'm so alone here…. I just want to go home…" She buried her head in her knees to stop the tears from coming, unaware that she was being watched the whole time.

Magus held true to his word- even though she'd been so upset by his actions she'd forgotten momentarily about the room. Seven breakfasts and eight dinners she'd scowled at him later, Eä awoke to find herself in a new room. She had a large canopy bed too, but her room had a blue theme to it, and not purple. She had a balcony off to the right, but she decided she wouldn't sightsee or escape that way. She didn't have a desk, but she had a few chairs by the fire and a tall bookcase with large volumes neatly organized. Another table like the one in Magus' room was set up, ready for the breakfast that always appeared after she'd finished in the bathroom. She had her own this time, once again modernized with the help of the magic of the Mystics and advanced technology of Zeal.

She went in to change, and came out to find Magus sitting down already, sipping tea. She sat down across from him, for the first time not glaring at him. He looked over at her, face unreadable.

"You like your new room, I take it?" She nodded,

"Yes... Yes, thank... thank you, Lord Magus." The named sounded odd and demeaning- why should she have to call him "Master Magus"? He seemed to see this as an acceptable reply, so he let the conversation drop. Before leaving, however, he turned to her to say,

"there are several rooms in here that attach to your suite. Feel free to go in any of them, you'll find they've been modified to suit your needs. If you are in need of anything, summon Mirielle, and she will see to it." He vanished, and Eä was alone again. She spent the rest of the day in her chambers, staring out the window that faced the large ocean/sea/body of water around the island. Magus didn't come for dinner that night, so she went to bed without speaking to anyone, as Mirielle had cleaned the table and prepared the bed while she was in the bathroom. Settling down for the night, she was troubled by unsettling dreams.

_She was sitting on a log, across from Cyrus and Glenn, who seemed to be having lunch. Where were they? This place seemed so familiar... Glenn interrupted her thoughts angrily. "_You shouldn't have left her there, Cyrus! You should've said goodbye, at least, especially after what you did!" _Cyrus threw a stick onto the fire angrily. _

_"_It's not like I had a choice! She was speaking so madly I had to do something to make sure she'd be safe. I'm worried about her Glenn. When we return, I think we should take her to a healer." _Glenn started to protest, but Cyrus shook his head. _"I love her Glenn, that's why. It was probably those damn mystics who screwed up her mind somehow with their magic. I'm sure the healer back at the castle could help her. But right now, I think we'd better move on out." _The two stood up, kicking dirt over the pile of embers and picking up their things again. The vision blurred, and the scene shifted to a large cave at the top of a cliff. _

_Cyrus was fighting off an enormous beast- the Masamune. Glenn stood in the corner, nursing a bloody arm. The fight was soon over, and a large broadsword fell to the ground Cyrus picked it up, turning to give Glenn a thumbs up. Cyrus laughed," _how about a bottle of midtonic to celebrate?" _They laughed, each taking a sip before the bottle was shattered by a bolt of lightning. The two growled and turned to see Ozzie twirling a cloud of static energy about his head. The fat imp sneered. _

_"_If you boys are quite done celebrating, Lord Magus has a few words to say to you." _The imp hovered out of the entrance, and circled about, forcing the two towards the edge of the cliff. Glenn stepped back, "_we're not going to make it Cyrus!"_ Cyrus shouted and lunged towards Ozzie, throwing the mystic back against a boulder. Cyrus grinned, but then glowered as a dark laughter filled the air._

_Magus appeared, dark energy pulsating around him. Cyrus grit his teeth while Glenn stumbled back, whimpering, "_we'regonnadiewe'regonnadiewe'regonnadieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"_ Cyrus frowned as his friend frantically dashed around in circles, searching for a way to escape that didn't involve jumping, or climbing down the rickety ladder again. Eä floated a few feet away from the edge, and could see herself battling with the mystics. It was an odd feeling, watching yourself from above- kinda like an out of body experience.. She'd been so close to reaching them in time...! _

_Her attention quickly turned back to Magus, Cyrus, the frantic Glenn, and the not-too-happy Ozzie who was rubbing his head. Magus laughed again, floating down to the ground and stepping down softly. Cyrus backed up, clearly irritated, getting a firmer grasp on the sword. Ozzie floated over, starting to complain about his head before Magus shut him up with a look. Magus cast a glance about the place before smirking and tossing his hair over his shoulder. "_And where is the lovely Miss Dinn, Sir Cyrus? Too tired to make it up the mountain?" _Cyrus growled, holding the sword higher. _

_"_That's none of your business! Keep her out of this, Mystic! I don't know what you did to her, but as soon as we've finished you off, we're going to have her treated!" _Magus looked at him oddly. _

_"_What the hell are you talking about? Ozzie, did you give the authority to one of your men to mess with the girl?" _The fat mystic shook his head, shrugging, so Magus turned back to the two men. _"I have no idea what you're talking about. But I'm feeling generous, so I'll send Ozzie to go get her, and we'll see what she has to say. Ozzie! Go to the inn and bring Miss Dinn here." _The floating mystic bowed, disappearing, but returning a few moments later, somewhat panicked. _

_"_Lord Magus, she's not there! They said she blew up a wall, then stole a horse! There are guards everywhere, but no trace of her or the horse." _Magus' eyebrows arched for a brief moment, then he laughed again 'I guess he was in a good mood or something... Cyrus seems irritated enough, and Janus always did like making people angry..' Magus spoke again, glancing over the edge of the cliff._

_"_Don't worry about it Ozzie, I can sense our friend is nearby.. Ah yes, there she is! Perfect. Cyrus, do you have any last words you want me to take down to her before I kill you?" _Cyrus stepped up several paces. _

_"_You will NOT touch her! Glenn! Hurry, go and warn Eä!" _Glenn, momentarily in a stupor, shook himself out of it and hurried over to the ladder. Ozzie appeared in front of him, smacking him down. _

_"_ I don't think so!" _Cyrus looked over his shoulder, hurrying over to his fallen friend. "_Glenn!" _The boy struggled to his knees. _

_"_Ugh.. Cyrus, I don't think I can make it..." _The knight captain kneeled next to his friend, concerned. _

_"_Glenn, I'll hold them off. Make your escape!" _Eä watched the scene with a heavy heart, waiting for the moment for Cyrus' death to come. It didn't though- the background suddenly faded away, leaving Eä with Cyrus. He looked around, seeming to be confused, then smiled when he saw her. _

_"_Eä! What are you doing here?"_ She took a step towards him, replying. _

_"_I.. I thought I was having some sort of dream, but I guess it was a flashback... Cyrus, I'm in Magus' castle, how do I escape? I... I'm scared Cyrus..."_ He walked over to hold her, rustling her hair. _

_"_Shhh.. It's alright Eä... I'm here, you'll be fine. Shall we figure a way to get out of he-" _A scream filled the air, and Cyrus drew out his sword, putting her behind him. _

_"_Wait here, _Eä!" he disappeared into the fog, heedless of her calls to tell him to stop. _

_"_Cyrus! No!" _Another of the unearthly screams filled the air, the fog cleared, and Eä found herself in front of an enormous beast unlike anything she'd ever seen. Huge spikes ran up and down the shell, a large beak at the center, energy glowing around it. A familiar form appeared on Lavos' shoulder, and the queen laughed manically as Dalton appeared on the other side. Lavos opened it's beak, and a strong, sucking wind began pulling her towards the creature. The queen "hmph"ed like her son. _

_"_There is no use in trying to escape! Come! Become one with Lavos! You could be immortal!" _She cried out for Cyrus, bracing herself against the wind that seemed to weave about her like an immense blanket. The winds suddenly fell away, and a pair of arms went around her. _

_"_Wake up, Eä! You're having a nightmare! Wake up!"

She flung herself into the person, sobbing for the breath she'd somehow seemed to be out of. "Cyrus..." She cried a little longer, then her breathing became softer, and she fell asleep. Magus looked down at the girl in his arms with a mixture of irritation and sympathy. She'd woken him from sleep with her cries, and several of his experiments seemed to have spontaneously broken apart or combusted. He'd glanced at them briefly, wondering how she'd managed to do that with restraining cuffs on, but had decided to go shut her up before fixing the damage she'd made.

When he'd found her, she was wrapped up in her blankets as though it was the dead of winter, struggling against them though as if they were choking her. His heart softened a little, and instead of going over to shout at her to be quiet, he, pulled away the covers and tried waking her. She didn't seem all the way conscious though, she'd called him Cyrus. _Cyrus... ugh, call ME that by that peasant's name..._ He had to laugh though- he vaguely remembered waking up in her arms once or twice when he was younger due to nightmares. He didn't mind, as long as she didn't make a habit of it. After he was sure she wouldn't have any more dreams, he left her alone, sleeping peacefully


	22. Welcome to Your Worst Nighmare

_Ok people, time will begin to speed up from now on... Why? Because you don't really want to know what Eä does on a day to day basis, do you? I'll try to keep the time hops at a minimum time lapse, but I don't want to be on page 4000 and still only be on her third year with the mystics. So, major time skips ahead, be sure to watch out_

Welcome to Your Worst Nightmare

ch 22

"Alright human, it's time to rise and shine!" A gruff voice drifted through her barely-awake mind before she was aware of her face and sides making contact with the floor as she was tossed out of bed. Eä struggled with the blankets, ready to scream at the pink haired mystic that had so rudely awoken her. Flea looked at her, then began to laugh as she glanced over Ea's less than tidy hair. Eä bit her lip to keep from throwing insults at the woman. Weirdo or not, Flea was still a better magician than her, and wouldn't hesitate to prove it if she felt it was necessary. So, Eä stood up stiffly, rubbing her sore rear and trying to smooth back her ruffled hair while finding out the reason for the mystic's rude morning call.

"What do you want, Flea? I'm sure you've got better things to do than come and visit me just to laugh at my hair." The older woman sniffed, putting a hand on her hip.

"You're going to be with me all day today, kid, so you'd better get rid of that attitude. And do something with your hair. You look awful." Flea motioned to the mirror, but Eä gawked at her.

"Why am I getting stuck with you? Does Magus-"

"Lord Magus has no more time to bother with the likes of you. We're going to start your magic lessons today, so that you might be of some use to us. Lord Magus doesn't like having his time wasted on fools, so I suggest you eat breakfast quickly, then follow me. If you're ever going to be more than a servant girl, you need proper skills and education. Now get dressed." Eä gave the other woman an odd look, but did as she was told. When she got out of the bathroom, Flea made a 'tsk'ing sound as she looked over the uniform, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"What is _that_? Do you have no sense of fashion whatsoever? You will _not_ wear something so bland when you're being taught by me. Here, this ought to do it." With a flick of her wrist, the grey dress was gone. Flea had garbed Eä in a frilly pink and orange dress with some sort of minor spell, complete with large bows and high laced boots. Eä gave a shriek and started to pull the hideous thing off.

"I look like a circus outcast! And you think **I** have no taste? Ugh! What planet are you from? Pink clashes with my hair!" Flea scowled, flicking her wrist again. A scanty thing replaced the garish dress, and Eä reddened while grabbing a blanket and demanding for her old uniform. Instead, Flea gave her a dark blue tunic with light blue hose to match. Eä muttered something about 'barking mad mystics' and 'fashion freaks' as she sat down to her breakfast. Flea didn't speak again, but she smiled as she watched Eä mumble, reminding Eä of an almost older-sisterly affection. Eä ignored the woman's odd warmth, and worked on her breakfast.

The lesson hadn't gone as horribly as Eä had expected it would, however. A whole day of showing what she already knew, being corrected on things she was still a little off on, and Flea demonstrating spells that could be built with what she could do already with a fair amount of ease. By the end of the session, Eä knew that had she known how far behind she was in magic from Flea, she would have probably fled in terror the day she'd been caught. Not that it would've done much good anyway.

A servant who had interrupted Flea's spell of sealing found that he was being tossed like a ball high into the air before he was very roughly released. Eä was sure that she'd probably have dropped dead of fright at the sight of Flea the first time they'd met if she'd known about that spell. All the better that she hadn't. If Flea was this strong, imagine how powerful Magus must have been... Yet he put up with her short temper and rude comments, and she once again was glad she'd indulged the young prince to keep his hunger for stories sated. Had she not kept him happy when he was younger, she didn't want to think of what her fate _might_ have been... However, he had dealt with her in an obviously lax manner, and Flea, while easily irritated when Eä botched a spell or two, had not been overbearing. In short, the lesson had left Eä severely shaken and confused- physically, yes, but mentally as well.

The mystics were obviously far more powerful than they let on, at least their leaders. Flea was proof enough of that. But they didn't flaunt their power, and that made Eä all the more confused. If they had that power, why didn't they use it or demonstrate more often? And more importantly, why would they end up losing anyway? Or would her arrival alter Fate, altering the impending doom upon these people? It certainly hadn't saved Cyrus, but did that mean that nothing else would be changed either? Flea mistook her odd expression, and laughed, handing her a small book of spells she had to learn by the end of the week.

"Don't worry, Kid. You'll do fine, just mind you don't bother anyone. You're my apprentice, as well as Slash's, and no one messes with one of _our_ pupils! You should feel honored that you get the two best of the mystic army- although I have to admit, it's more interesting teaching you than it is listening to the council members drone on about how we need to put up barriers around the islands. They get tiring after so long, and it's refreshing having something to do, even if it is acting as mentor to a human." Flea said this offhandedly, though she probably had no idea how much she shook her new pupil. Eä sat staring at her dinner for some time, in fact, Mirielle had come in for the dishes and she still hadn't touched the food. The maid looked at her anxiously.

"You're not feeling well, Miss Eä? I heard you did well for your first day of training, the La, er Sir Flea spoke of you highly. Lord Magus seemed pleased to find that you had been able to keep up with Sir Flea's teachings." Eä Looked over at the girl, who stood in the doorway timidly.

"Miri... How odd is it for Magus to be as easy with prisoners as he's being with me?" The girl laughed shakily, shifting her weight nervously.

"Well... Lord Magus said that you were different from people from this place.. That you needed to be kept differently. He even said-!" She stopped herself, as though she had been about to speak of a secret she guarded with her life. She continued carefully, almost in a whisper. "He said that you weren't from this place at all, but that you were summoned from somewhere. Is.. Is that true?" Eä snorted.

"He's still going on about me being his 'summon creature', huh? ...I guess I am, I just ended up here one day after getting a nasty hit on the head. This place is so.. different from home, but I should've expected that, I guess. The people here confuse me. I mean, I thought the mystics were vicious brutes that slaughtered for amusement, having no mercy. But I get here and for the most part they're acting like normal people. I really don't understand this place..." Miri sat down across from Eä, smiling softly.

"The mystics aren't barbarians, they're just not human. Not everything they do is good, in fact, once you've seen some of the things they've done, you'll understand that they aren't all level headed and some get carried away during battle. But not all of them thirst for blood. They confuse me at times too, but you learn to become immune to some of it after a few years. But I'll never completely understand them no matter how many years I work for them." Eä perked up, a sudden thought coming to her.

"Hey Miri, why does Flea think she's a guy?" Miri shrugged.

"She's always said she was, and when someone made fun of her for it, it took a week to clean up what was left of him. No one wants to ask her why, so they just accept it and never remark upon it." The two simply looked at each other for a few moments, then began to laugh. Eä felt a bit better, knowing she wasn't really all alone here in the cold and dark castle.

The next day's practice with Slash, however, was a total opposite of her experience under Flea. Slash would not tolerate error, and she had an attitude of complete loathing towards the mystic by the end of the day. The general was strict and nit-picking, enjoying every moment he could find an excuse to yell at her. While she was quicker than him, he had the experience of battle that she lacked, and often used his extensive knowledge of different tactics upon her.

When she was finally allowed to escape to her rooms, she was covered in black and blue bruises. She'd have to drink a tonic of some sort to ease some of the pain, since Magus didn't trust her enough to be left alone without the bands. Flea had been present at all times they'd come off, never taking her eyes off of Eä as she practiced. Eä sighed, and stared at the ceiling, asking it the question that had not been answered in over a year now.

"When can I leave this place?"

Magus sighed, walking into the room so close to his own without hesitation. This had to stop, she had been with them for almost three months now, and he should've stopped having these dreams at night. It was getting irritating, having to hear her cries and then having to go make her quiet. He wanted his sleep too, dammit! And this wasn't helping the fact that it was hard enough with the council at him for higher wages, more protection, another operation in the southern isles, and attacks on the humans up north. He didn't need an extra thing on his hands to keep him up! But, he almost felt a kinship to her, for he once was troubled by nightmares like the ones that were undoubtably created by the black wind. The dark breeze that had reappeared when she'd arrived had unnerved him, though he hadn't let it show. Had he been wrong, bringing her in? Treating her better than he'd treat a normal servant? He smirked, regaining his confidence. No one could question him, so what did it matter? But he had to do something to shut her up!

Turning her over on her side, he woke her as usual. This time, however, she spoke to him as he turned to leave, meaning she was awake.

"Why do you bother coming in here?" He looked over his shoulder, seeing her sit up in bed, rubbing her eyes. He kept his stolid mask of indifference on as he spoke.

"I had to do _something_ to shut you up." She scowled, obviously grumpy as well.

"You don't have to come in here. I can't help it if I make noise- but you would too if you saw some of the things I have..." She trailed off, but he was too tired to care. He turned to leave again.

"Just try to keep it down. I can't sleep with your constant crying." She frowned even more, sulkily this time.

"If you can't sleep than why did you put me in this room? Did you think I wouldn't talk at all while I was here? If you don't like it, than move me somewhere other than the adjoining room to yours!" He simply looked at her, then said blandly,

"Don't make me have to put a silencing spell on you. Good night Eä." And then he faded through the door that connected their rooms, leaving Eä to mutter under her breath before turning onto her side and curling up again to try to get the sleep her body desperately needed. Magus went to bed muttering his own curses. Yes, something had to be done. A thought came to mind, and he smiled at his own brilliance as he went to sleep.

Eä moaned softly as light poured into her room. Miri, cheerful as usual, tied back the curtains she'd just finished drawing, humming a merry tune. Eä couldn't see what the heck was so wonderful about the morning- she'd had to stay up until three in the morning the previous night to make Flea satisfied with a spell she'd been having trouble with. Why she had to know how to changed the color of someone's shirt from afar, she didn't know, but Flea was persistent, and had forced her to practice on an imp on guard for several hours. Now, she was tired, grumpy, and certainly _not_ looking forward to a full day of training with Slash. Miri seemed oblivious to Eä's irritated manner, and motioned some of the other servants in to place the food on the table. When this task was accomplished, she turned to find Eä still in bed, pillow over her head. She sighed and put her hands on her hips.

"Lady Eä.. Do I have to drag you out myself? Lord Slash will be most displeased if you're late for your lesson!"

"Bugger Slash." Replied a crotchety voice coming from under the covers. Miri sighed again, shaking your head.

"Now Lady Eä... You don't want Lord Magus asking you why you were late to your practices tonight, now do you?" A head emerged from the fluffy duvets. Miri continued, glad she finally had her charge's attention. "As I was saying... Get up, and while you're eating we'll pick out your dress for this evening. I think the lavender one will do nicely..." As she said this, she rummaged through the wardrobe, still humming the song. She pulled out the article in question as Eä trudged wearily form the bathroom. Not even tasting the porridge that went into her mouth, Eä looked blearily at the gown. It was rather fancy- why she hadn't seen it before, she didn't know. Heck, for all she knew, she could have a magic wardrobe that randomly created clothes at a whim or command. Either way, it didn't look like something she'd worn here yet. Between mouthfuls, she asked,

"Whashthafo?" Miri smiled as Eä gulped and repeated her question. "Sorry. I meant, what's that for? Why do I have to get dressed up? And hwy does Magus want to see me? Is he mad I made him lose some of his beauty-sleep?" Miri sighed in exasperation; like a a teacher trying to teach calculus to a block of wood.

"As I said earlier, but you must have still been asleep, Lord Magus requests your presence in the banquet hall tonight, as well as a private audience later this evening. He wants you to join him with the others in the dining hall. It's a great honor to be invited to one of their private dinners, but then again, seeing that you're the Generals' student, it's hardly surprising. I'm sure Lord Magus just wants to clear away some misunderstandings about your presence here, as well as give you some time to prove your worth as one of his to-be pupils. As my charge, I want you looking smart and dignified while retaining that edge that everyone who knows you knows you have." Eä frowned, still eying the dress unhappily.

"I don't have an edge... people here just irritate me." Miri simply laughed and sent her off to her daily "Human Habit-Breaking" beating from Slash.

"No, dammit, girl! Left! Left! When I say charge, don't advance with your right foot, use you LEFT!" Eä bit down the comments about who had won the last time they'd fought for real, but decided it wasn't the wisest comment to make to the purple mystic armed with a heavy-duty blade while she was only armed with a wooden practice sword. Instead, she let her voice out as a low tone- neither threatening nor submissive, but definitely not happy.

"You're supposed to advance with the foot opposite your sword arm. I'm left handed. Opposite of left is right, hence, I step forward with my right foot." That earned her a hard slap from the teacher who didn't enjoy the time they spent together anymore than she did. He roared at her angrily.

"I'm not teaching any lefties, so you're to learn with your right! If you can't manage that, then be content that Magus keeps you at all!" He sneered, then turned away to collect his armor, muttering, "Damn humans think they rule wherever they go- even in _my_ training yard. Stupid girl, she's no better than those pathetic nobles..." A quiet shift i the dirt was all the warning he had as Eä charged, attempting to do a leap slash.

"You want me to fight right handed- FINE! Cyrus trained me with my right hand too!" He easily met the blade and shoved her aside, throwing her to the dirt. He grinned maliciously.

"You've got the spirit of a fighter- that's a start. But you're as weak as a puppy. Fight me when you can throw a good punch- with your _right_ hand." She got up, dusting herself off, and charged again. He dodged the awkward thrust, punching her in the stomach. She made an "oof!" sound and fell to the ground, clutching her torso and coughing. He smirked, shaking his head. "You're as arrogant as The Kid was when I trained him, but you're stupid. Don't try that again, Brat, unless you want to sport a black eye." He turned, ignoring the blade that he stepped over, not realizing it was in a precarious place until it was brought up with more strength than he would have guessed the girl had in her state. After composing himself a few minutes later, and yelling at her in a rather squeaky voice , he made good his promise.

Dressed in the lavender gown that Miri had chosen for her, Eä sat next to the empty chair at the head of the table. Her mind whirred, trying to recall all of the last-minute instructions Miri had given her on how to act in the mystic's court. She could hear the younger girl's calm voice running through the list.

"_Now, don't slouch, but don't look rigid either. Look around you to adjust your position. Don't smile too much- the council members will think you're plotting something. Don't look at Lord Magus in the eye- if you have to address him, remember to call him Lord Magus and to speak in a quiet, respectable tone. Don't speak unless you're spoken too, ignore comments about how you look or anything that will make you angry. Don't ask to be excused, Lord Magus will tell you when he's ready to see you. Don't fidget, don't stare, don't act suspicious, don't let the others know your thoughts- no matter how much you want to express your opinion. The night will go better if you keep a calm, cool face, and smile from time to time but not too often. Remember not to talk to the ones serving you- you could both get in trouble. And if anyone asks about your eye, you fell down, or it's a trick of the light. And don't forget! When you walk, pick up your dress! You don't want to fall flat on your face! And when Lord Magus says it's time to leave, for the Gods' sakes, _**let**_him escort you out! You might cause a scandal if you don't!"_

Poor Eä, who'd never done well at the feasts with Cyrus, was fairly shaking as she furtively surveyed the crowd she was to be dining with. Goblins, Naga-etes, Outlaws, Imps- they all sat noisily laughing, talking and eating. Apparently, they hadn't been through a lesson of etiquette from Miri or Jessica, and didn't realize it was impolite to start if the one who sat at the head was not present. Flea and Slash sat at the other end, as well as Ozzie. She hadn't seen the fat imp since the day she'd tried barbequing him, but she wasn't upset about it. Every now and then, he'd glance in her way. And blanched when she gave him a smile. A sudden scraping of chairs and silence fell over the room. Eä hastily joined the others in rising, but fought to keep her face calm as Magus walked in, cape fluttering silently behind him. A nervous guard pulled the chair out for the mystic lord, who promptly sat down and motioned a servant with a wine pitcher over. The table resumed their positions and began to eat again, and Eä was careful to keep her eyes on her food. A quiet laugh to her left made her tense slightly.

"Enjoying the feast, Miss Dinn?" She kept her eyes lowered.

"It's very... entertaining, Lord Magus." He laughed again at this, voice still low.

"Yes, they are rather amusing, aren't they? Stupid and slow at times, but at dinner, they can be rather interesting to watch-though a bit base... By the way, " he said, sipping his wine, "Did you fall today, or is that ring around your eye a trick of the light?" Her napkin was slowly being wrung into a tight coil on her lap as she managed not to snarl at him. She laughed quietly, however, and replied with a low tone as well.

"Miri says to say I fell. But it was worth it, My Lord, to hear Slash squeaking like a mouse." She grinned at the memory of Slash squirming about on the ground as she slowly regained her breath, then grimaced as she recalled the blows that had caused her to "fall". Magus laughed bit more loudly, murmuring,

"I wish I had seen that..." They didn't speak for the rest of the meal, though Eä had to physically restrain herself several times to keep from shouting at some of the rather loud and rude comments coming from down the table. When the company seemed done, or at least the eating had slowed to an occasional nibbling, Magus arose, signaling the end of the meal. He turned to Eä, who looked at him directly for the first time. A smirk pulled at his lips, as though the idea of walking her to wherever they were going amused him. However, he offered his arm, just as Miri had prophesied.

"Lady Eä, will you accompany me to my suite? I need to speak with you in private." She hesitated, not liking the idea of going to his rooms. However, she didn't have a choice, and he said he needed to speak with her... She smiled blandly, and took the proffered arm, picking up her skirts in the other hand. They walked out, and down the hall quickly and silently. Some of the braver or more foolish mystics watched them go, commenting what they thought would take place. Eä felt her ears go red, Magus, however, seemed to ignore them.

They reached his rooms, and they went into his study to sit down by a fire that had been built up a few moments before. Eä allowed herself the liberty to look freely upon him, for he certainly was taking liberties looking at her. She felt her mouth's urge to form a scowl and fought it. Magus simply smiled again, another laugh coming forth.

"Oh, go ahead and scowl at me, Eä. Although, I have to admit, you performed rather well- one would think you were a noble, the way you acted." She stiffened, allowing some of her frown through.

"My Lord, you said you wanted to speak with me...?" Hoping to draw him to the point. He looked at her again, ignoring her.

"You look noble in that, to top it off. Miri did a fine job, I'll have to reward her later on... Perhaps a vacation for a few days..." He mused over the words for a moment, then seemed to decide it was time to move on to a new topic. "Slash says you're not behaving well in your lessons, and Flea says you're a weak and whiny magician. What do you have to say to that?" She scowled further still, thinking of rather blunt comments of what she thought about that. But she mildly said,

"Slash is a pompous ass, and Flea wants me to learn about fashion more than real magic. I'm tired of staying up 'til three just to be able to turn a guard's shirt pink! If I wanted advice on how to dress, I'd of stayed back in Truce or Poore or somewhere where it was relatively safe, _My Lord_." His face lost his amusement.

"Don't speak to me that way, Miss Dinn. Remember, you're here on my whim, nothing else." She remembered Flea's demonstration of her power when she'd been po'ed, and decided not to push him. She didn't want to have to have her remains peeled from the walls of the room, so she bit her tongue, while keeping her scowl on Magus. Instead, she said rather tartly,

"Forgive me, Lord, but I grow weary and cranky." He raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Instead, he snapped his fingers and a door opened. A golden tabby pattered out, heading towards the two. Eä jumped to her feet, falling to the floor to hold out her arms to the cat. "CYRUS!" The cat mewed, but passed her and jumped onto Magus' lap, where he settled down and began to purr contentedly. Eä, arms still outstretched, felt her eyebrow twitch slightly in a mad tick. Lowering her arms, she found the mystic lord rubbing the loudly purring cat, but watching Eä bemused.

"Your cat has been with me for several months now... I'll be sorry to part with him, he was rather nice company. Once one of the spells of foreign dialect comprehension was cast upon him, I learned some rather interesting things about you and your past from him... For instance, is it true you have a sketch book out there somewhere dedicated entirely to me?" She blushed, anger finally coming out.

"THAT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS! Cyrus, you little turn-coat! I trusted you! So, does this mean Cyrus is going to inform you of all my actions now that you've got a spell to understand him? Is he going to be your spy, to make sure I behave?" Magus laughed, petting the cat's head gently.

"I'll take that as a yes, even though you don't want to admit it. And no, I didn't bring you here just to tell you that your cat's been telling me some rather interesting blackmail-fodder, I've decided to return him to you." Her face turned to a perplexed gape. He continued, still giving the cat attention. "I want him to keep you company at night, so if you start making noises in your sleep he'll bite you to shut you up. I don't want to have to bother coming into your room every night- I've got better things to do. Now go away, I need to catch up on the sleep you've cost me." With a dismissive wave, the door adjoining their rooms opened, and Cyrus trotted through, leaving Eä to both scowl and stare at Magus. After not being able to think of anything to say, she nodded curtly, and followed her cat. The door shut behind her, and she looked at the cat that was nonchalantly cleaning himself on the bed.

_Long time no see, Eä._

She scowled, rummaging though her drawers for s night-robe. "How many things did you tell him about, Cyrus?" If cat's had the ability to curve their lips, Cyrus would've grinned mischievously.

_Oh, not too much, just about your daily schedule, your habits, your obsessions, your many sketches, your poetry-_

"That's it! You can sleep at the foot of the bed, and if I kick you, don't think it wasn't on purpose!" She retreated to the bathroom to change, leaving Cyrus to sulkily move to the end of the bed.

_Sour Puss... Spill a couple of deepest, darkest secrets, and you go al crazy on me... Maybe I should've stayed with Janus..._


	23. Catch Me If You Can!!

Catch Me If You Can!

_ch 23_

"Miss Dinn, I wish to speak with you." Eä looked up from her spell book, surprised she hadn't heard the mystic's approach. She fought back the impulse to snarl as she saw who it was, but allowed some of her loathing to drip into her voice.

"What do _you_ want, Ozzie? I thought that Lord Magus specifically forbade you to come near me." The fat mystic paled slightly, glowing a faint and sickly green. However, he didn't run away under her gaze. Instead, he laughed, startling her.

"You know, you look like Lord Magus did when he was a kid. He always glared at people like that, as though they were bothering him just for existing. I see you've been able to pick up a few of our master's more winning attributes." He laughed again, shaking with each peal like a water balloon. Eä, however, wasn't keen on being interrupted when she had to study. Keeping her voice low, she repeated her first query.

"What do you _want_ Ozzie?" The mystic stopped laughing, and looked at her seriously. He studied her intently, keeping direct eye contact with her. In a voice with more of an edge than she thought he could manage, he replied softly,

"I know you don't like me. And to be quite honest, I don't like you. But 'll be frank enough with you, and that's hard enough to find in this place." He paused, seeing if he'd get a reaction. But when he got in reply was a silent stare, he went on. " You see, there are rumors about. I don't think I need to tell you of them." She flinched slightly, but still made no reply. He continued thoughtfully.

"Lord Magus does not approve of them, and yet he makes no effort to frustrate them. This makes me think he is planning something. Something along the lines of the rumors; you see, something to turn rumors to reality. Do you think this is possible?" She frowned, though she was a bit paler. Ozzie had always seemed a great fool in the game and whenever she saw him, and this calculating side to him gave her a feeling that he could be more dangerous than appearances allowed. Then again, that was true of all mystics.

"It's possible, I suppose, but I don't see why it's of any concern to you. I thought you concerned yourself with what was being served for dinner, not worrying about my relations with Lord Magus." Ozzie smiled, as if brightening at the fact that she hadn't tried to bite his head off. Yet.

"So, you don't think he is planning anything of the sort for you?" She didn't try to be nice this time, nor keep her anger in check. She was wasting valuable time with this buffoon when she had practice with Flea in the morning. And Flea, who disliked the morning as much as Eä did, disliked an ill-prepared student even more. If she was going to get this spell right, she had to concentrate and think. She couldn't do that very well with a large mystic floating by her side and rambling on about gossip she didn't want to think about. She replied curtly.

"How the Hell am I supposed to know what goes through Magus' mind? His mind is as foreign to me as the reason why I'm wasting time with you. Unless you have something substantive to speak with me about, leave me to my studies." The mystic laughed again, looking around the room nervously while licking his lips gingerly. The library was empty. Even the halls outside, which usually were stalked by a late night guard or restless sleeper, were bare. He turned back to her, leaning in to whisper some soft words into her ear. Her eyes widened, and she sat gaping at him as he finished his _tete-a-tete. _When he was done, he smiled at her expression. She looked at him sharply, as though unbelieving, and then spoke softly, testing the spell he'd just given her the words to. It worked, and she looked at him with mixed emotions on her face.

"I don't know whether to kill you or kiss you. But, seeing as it's worked, and you're ugly, even by mystic standards, I don't think I'll do either. Instead, I promise to repay you in some way." She gave him a smile, then went back to her work, being sure to fix what the spell had undone. The old mystic nodded, walking off to leave the girl to her dusty books. _Anything to get rid of you..._

The week went by with a rapid series of successions. Spells were coming easier to her, Slash wasn't able to make her lie gasping on the ground as long, and Cyrus was still off sulking because she was mad. All seemed to be in her favor. She laughed as she sat on her bed, tugging on her boots. _It's almost as if Fate is with me..._ Tonight was the night. She'd planned it carefully, smiling at her own brilliance. Miri was off on the vacation Magus had promised her and the new maid simply did what was required, then left. Slash was out on a scouting mission. Flea was having her nails and hair done that night, and Magus was at another one of those council things. She grinned to herself, forgetting words of advice she'd once heard from one of Guardia's knights. _If Fate seems to have taken a likin' to ya, Miss Eä, dear, for heaven's sakes, don' think she won' turn on ya jus' as quick!_

Ozzie watched the silent form scamper off in the direction of the magic cave. With luck, that rotten brat would be gone, and then things would return to their normal swing after Lord Magus' anger had calmed down. No one would be the wiser of his teaching the girl how to escape the cuffs that halted her magic, and thus hindered her escape. She'd be discovered missing at the end of the council meeting, and by that time, it would be too late. The girl was smart enough to fade into the town nearby, dropping from the sight of Magus' spies with ease. Then, the mystic Lord would go back to the important tasks at hand, instead of wasting time with common females. All would go according to plan. At least, it would have, but he hadn't accounted for the interference of a certain cat.

Magus walked down the halls, irritated with the ball of fluff in his arms. Why the cat had chosen to bother him at such an important time, only the gods knew, and the small cat would only reply that he was worried. Reaching the door to the girl's chambers, he put the cat down irritably. "Is this all really necessary, Cyrus? I've things to attend to, and Eä not opening the door to your calls isn't life threatening." The cat paced angrily as well, a hint of anxiety in his thoughts.

_I know she's still angry with me, but she'd still have the decency to tell me off. I'm worried that she might've come to some harm and is no longer able to answer me. I went to you because you're the only one who can understand me! I wouldn't have bothered you, of course, but I can't deal with the door." _Magus hmphed slightly, replying,

"I'll get you a separate door later, if you want. If it'll make you happy. Miss Dinn! Miss Dinn, I need to speak with you!" Silence greeted his pounding. He remained calm however, knowing that she could well be in one of her moods and ignoring him as well. Adding a slight hint of anger in his voice, he called again, "MISS DINN! If you do not answer me right this instant, I'll blow down the door and punish you to a lifetime of Flea's cooking! I need to speak with you, so open up!" An eery stillness hung in the air. Not letting the cat's increased agitation work it's way into his own thoughts, he cast a spell which opened the door quickly and quietly. The room was dark. He spun around angrily, shouting orders to the guards posted in nearby halls. Upon further exploration, Cyrus found it was also empty- Eä had run off hours beforehand.

Gasping as she clung to a tree, Eä looked over her shoulder, getting a faraway view of cave. She looked for a few moments longer, then laughed. _She'd done it!_ She was hours and miles away from Magus, Flea, the mystics, everything. Thanks to Ozzie, she'd been able to rid herself of those cursed cuffs, tasting the first drought of freedom for over six months. She was free. _Free!_ She regained her breath, and shouldered the "pack" she'd brought with her, holding several tonics she'd filched from the cupboards, and a loaf of bread as well. Two daggers she'd been able to 'relieve' from two of the guards outside of the cave were tucked in her boots, secreted away in case she needed them. She hoped she wouldn't, but if she needed them, she'd stand up against her foe with a better chance. But who was she going to fight? The mystics sent after her by Magus, or the townspeople who'd thought she was odd enough without the green hair and mystic powers? She pushed the thought away, thinking to herself, _Whoever attacks me first, that's who. Cyrus, give me strength... CYRUS!_

She stopped herself and smacked herself in the head. She'd forgotten about the tabby completely, so wrapped up in her thoughts of escape. But she couldn't go back, they'd know she was gone by now for sure. Dammit! She hit a tree that happened to be in her way, slamming her fist down on it again angrily. How could she have been so stupid? How could she have forgotten the only one she had left? Cursing at her own stupidity, she sank down to the base of the tree, sitting in regret and self-loathing. A loud "thunk" above her head made her look up. A dagger was lodged inches above her head, still quivering slightly from impact with the hard wood. She got to her feet, pulling her cloak around her and fingering one of the blades from their hiding spots. Well, if the mystics had caught up with her already, they'd find they were in for a surprise. She wouldn't be able to hold them all off, of course, but several would go home with burns or shocks. A voice she hadn't expected called out to her, shadows forming it's figure.

"Stand where thou art, mystic, unless thou want me to skewer thee right now and here. I've let thee live because thou may be of use to me." A short figure stepped out, revealing his less-than-human face. Eä cried in surprise and relief.

"Glenn! Glenn, it's me, Eä!" She threw back her hood, tossing the dagger to the ground and putting her hands up in a sign of peace in case he didn't believe it was her. He recognized her, however, and his blade was lowered and sheathed. He walked up to her, surprise and disbelief in his tone.

"Eä...? Good God, it is you! Lass, I thought you were dead! Everyone thought-!" He paused, looking over her warily for a moment. "But you're in good shape and well off it seems. Where have you been?" He asked this quietly, but she could feel that he knew already. She hung her head, ashamed. Yesterday, the thought of seeing everyone was the only thing keeping her sane. Now, she felt a traitor and ashamed of what she'd become. Glenn, understanding the silence, said softly, "Perhaps we should go to an inn and talk of it over a drink or two?" She nodded, replacing hood and dagger as Glenn retrieved his weapon and covered his own face. He motioned wordless, leading her down a small path she hadn't noticed before. They walked silently through the sparse woods, neither sure of what to say. They reached a small inn on the outskirts of the trees, and walked in, ordering two mugs of cider before settling themselves in a quiet corner. Glenn was the first to break the silence. "How long has it been, Eä?" She sighed, not looking at him.

"Almost half a year now. The other months I was in a different place altogether, though it still dealt with magic. You'll see it one day, Glenn. It's called Zeal. I stayed there and harnessed what magic I could, trying to figure out a way to go home. I got caught though, when I came back here. I escaped last night." Her companion looked into his cup, watching the froth swirl.

"You tried to warn us. You told us the truth, yet we didn't listen. And now you're working for _him_. How long, Eä? How long have you served the one who killed a man who was the best man ever to walk this earth, a man who loved you and you claimed to love! How long have you been the Magus' pet?" She frowned as anger billowed within. Glenn wasn't the same- the sweet natured teen who'd lived a simple and happy life, honest and true to his friends was gone. This Glenn was different; hatred and disgust mixed with betrayal and disbelief mixed in the form that had once been a man. She stared fixedly into her cup, trying to keep her stomach from turning in guilt. She replied in a low tone, trying to remain calm.

"I'm not his pet, Glenn. I'm just trying to live long enough to get out of this hell-hole and figure out a way to go home. In fact, Magus doesn't know where I am right now."

"Don't count on that, Eä. He was able to find you once, he can do it again. Are you saying you escaped? Or are you trying to lure me back to an ambush of some sort? Are we being watched, now, even as we speak?" He cast a glance around the room, sharp eyes scanning faces and figures. She simply shrugged.

"I don't think so, but it is possible. I'll probably end up being caught again, that seems to be my luck as of late." She sat sullenly, sighing into her cup as she drained it. She didn't have a clue if they were being watched, but Glenn was right. Magus did seem to be able to keep track of her at all times. In fact, he was probably coming for her right now, coming to take her back to whatever her punishment would be, then back to the life she'd had to grow accustomed to. She'd be in deep trouble, she knew that, but what disturbed her was the fact that she was trying to think of excuses to placate the mystic lord. Why? Why should she make excuses for wanting to leave, wanting to go back home? Her train of thought was interrupted when Glenn spoke again.

"Do you know what's happened since you left, Eä? Do you know what Cyrus' family has been through for almost a year now? Jessica got married to the soldier she'd fallen head over heels for. Leene and Richard are worried because they have no heir yet. Cyrus is dead. I am as you see me. You... you are with the one who caused all the suffering. But you've escaped." He seemed to ponder this for a few moments before continuing. " Go to the King, Eä. Tell him what you know. You'll be pardoned, and the Magus will fall. Peace will be restored." He looked at her, eyes searching for an answer as she returned his gaze. She opened her mouth to agree when a memory whirled in her mind.

"_Do you think I'll ever be able to do magic, Eä?"_

_"Of course, kiddo, you just need to work on it, and wait till you're older."_

_"You'll be there when I grow up, won't you Eä? You won't leave me alone with the Black wind?"_

_"You'll never be alone Janus, I swear it."_

_"Eä! I had a bad dream! The black wind howled, and you and Schala, and Momma, and Daddy and everyone was gone and I was all alone. I was really scared!"_

_"Shh, It's ok now, Janus. Tell you what, why don't I stay with you till you fall asleep?"_

_"Really?"_

_"Of course! Now, get back to bed, kid._ _I'll be there in a minute."_

She smiled softly, recalling the various times she'd been with Janus. Then visions of Magus being held by the knights of the Square while being run through by the new captain filled her head, and she shook her head to try to clear the look of betrayal in his eyes before they closed. She opened her eyes, finding she was standing and shaking her head. Several eyes were upon her now, and she blushed slightly. Glenn stood up as well, head shaking and tossing a few coins onto the table.

"I don't know why you're so adamant about it.. Which will it be, Eä? Us, or Them?" He looked at her, not really angrily any more, simply curious. She glanced from him to the room, then closed her eyes, shaking her head.

"Neither."

Those who had listened to their conversation seemed taken aback, but only Glenn spoke. "Neither? Why? How can you be so uncertain?" She voice soft for fear of quavering entering her words.

"I'm not uncertain, Glenn. I don't want to help either cause, I just want to go home; to go back to living a normal life, being a normal teenager. I have no real loyalties to anyone, save my family, first and foremost. All I do is for getting back to them, despite what others might want me to do. I'm sorry Glenn. I won't tell you anything, no more than I'd tell Magus anything if he asked me. I don't care about your war, it's going to be over in 600 AD, and the people will have forgotten it by 1000AD. I don't care. I'm tired-I just want to go home." She looked at him fully as she spoke, and he gave her a long look in return.

"You won't come with me then?" She shook her head sadly.

"No. I'm going to continue to do what I must to survive long enough to go home and tell my parents I"m sorry I ever picked up a video game. I don't care what I have to do. If it means I have to stay where I am now, I will do precisely that. But I will not throw away my honor!" She threw a sidelong glance at the men who had been eying her like a piece of meat, then walked with Glenn out of the building. Glenn looked about uncertainly.

"I won't tell you what to do, Lass... But if you need anything or help at anytime or even need a place to stay..."

"I know where to find you. Even if I didn't, I could find those who would. I'm glad we could talk , Glenn, if only for a little while. Continue your sword play, and sharpen your skills. You'll need them in the future." He nodded, then gave her a tight hug before disappearing into the undergrowth. She sighed, looking about as well, then fought back tears that threatened to fall. Why did she have to run into him? Wasn't it enough that she was all alone out here without the guilt of betrayal holding her back as well? She rubbed a sleeve across her eyes, then pushed onwards, spotting her destination in the distance.

She reached it within an hour, not meeting anyone else along the way. Taking in deep breaths, she sat down on the soft grass at the top of the mountain, trying not to feel her normal vertigo from the tall heights. She stood up after a few moments, looking around to check the surrounding area. There was no one there, so she started her spell.

_A fa lagaedra tionne descra,_

_So tavi desorta m'niatati tevra faux._

_Teslazae min'escadonn, Sotalvi Mescri_

A wavering light began to pulse, the ripples of time being affected by the spell being cast. Bead of sweat formed on her brow, her eyes were shut tight in concentration. She didn't know if the alterations she'd made in the spell to take her across dimension instead of across time would work. She took in another deep breath to whisper out the next two verses.

_Dorruné tambellondor nes_

_S'isca vantellara diorruné_

She fell to her knees, feeling sick. No portal had taken shape, but there were wisps of fine magic in the air around her, forming a loose circle in front of her. She gulped and tried to force out the rest of the spell before she collapsed the whole way.

_Balconna vi tionné descra!_

_So... So tavi...hesd..ra, ... Yrchlaven!_

There was a large explosion, sending her tumbling back into a tree she hadn't even realized was there a moment ago. She laid at the base of the mighty oak for several minutes before pushing herself up painfully to drink the air she'd seemed to have lost greedily. She groaned as she looked where the spell had been cast before falling back down into unconsciousness. There was no gate. Instead, a very peeved Magus stood in front of her with his scythe in one hand, the other up in the position he'd used to stop the spell from killing them both. As he looked down at her crumpled form, irritationmixed with acrimony and a bit of pride. Anger because she'd wasted his time once again, and pride because she'd had the guts to do it. Motioning in her direction, her body lifted up unceremoniously, and she slumped into his arms. He shook his head, the teleported to the castle to get her to a medic.

Eä awoke staring at an unfamiliar ceiling, and she shifted uncomfortably. For some reason, she had no recollection of how she'd gotten here, but she knew well enough where here was, and she had a pretty good idea of how she'd gotten here. Moving slightly from side to side, she found that her right arm was badly bruised but unbroken, and that she'd twisted her left ankle. How she'd managed to do that when she'd been thrown back against a tree she didn't know, but the bandages around them both were proof that something had caused her injury. A soft chuckle reached her ears, and she turned her head to gaze at Magus.

"Well, it's good to see you've finally woken up. Are you proud of yourself? You're going to be severely punished, you know that, don't you?" She sighed, turning her head back to stare at the ceiling.

"Why bother? Why not just kill me now, and end it all? Besides, you're my 'summoning master', you should be able to do it. " He chuckled again, seating himself down in a chair by her bed.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you? To just die, and not have to worry about a thing again. I'm not going to be so giving as that. I want to know why you left." She turned back to look at him, searching his eyes for the emotions he hadn't let through on his face. He was the angriest she'd ever seen him before, his ruby eyes glittering with a dangerous fury that threatened to break his stoic expression. She frowned, wincing slightly as she sat up to look at him levelly.

"Why did I leave? Why shouldn't I want to leave? You've held me prisoner long enough, don't you think? You've had you fun, but the games boring now. I want what I wanted the first day I came here. I want to go back. Can't you get that through that thick skull of yours, Janus? I want to go home-!" She stopped abruptly, feeling as though he'd grabbed her neck and was squeezing. She struggled for a few moments as he replied icily.

"I think you misunderstand, Miss Dinn. _I summoned you._ Your life is mine to control, and I will not tolerate disobedience in my servants. I will overlook this one instance because you've been good until now." He released her, and she fell gasping to the bed again. He continued on, oblivious to her painful movements. "I'm not going to punish you with death, that would be a waste, and I hate wasting anything." He laughed at his own joke softly, unprepared for the slap she'd gotten up to give him. He held his head to the side as she shouted at him, rage and tears making her voice tremble.

"I'm tired of being treated as though I'm nothing more than a toy that you can pick up and out down when you're bored, Janus. You've killed those who I loved, you've ruined the lives of hundreds of people, you've destroyed cities and laughed as the ashes smouldered. Don't talk to me about waste unless you can say that all those who died because of you had good reason to die. Why did I try to escape? Because I want to get away from this senseless battle that you and the humans insist on engaging in. I want to get away from all of you, and go back to a time where people act civilized. If you were me, wouldn't you do the same thing?"

He didn't answer, he simply rubbed his red cheek and looked at her sharply. When he spoke, there was no humor in his tone. He was obviously po'ed, but his voice came out softly.

"Don't call me that, girl. I've lived for many more years than you have, and I've never seen a world where peace truly exists everywhere. Don't speak to me about hardships, and losing those you love. Life isn't easy, and if you think it should be, than you're a fool. People die because of their own folly. This war is proof of that. Learn to deal with what Fate gives you, or you too will perish like those before you. If I had a choice...? I would stay. If not to better myself with what is available to me, to repay debts I owe. You seem to forget, Miss Dinn, that you are very much in debt to me." She glared at him, ignoring the beginning aches in her wrist as she propped herself up on the bed.

"In debt to you? What did you do to earn my servitude? What have you done but keep me from returning to my home and family?"

"I summoned you away from a place that you obviously didn't care enough about to stay. Had you really wanted to remain, I would not have been able to bring you here. As I did so, I endowed you with powers that few humans even dare to dream about, and yet you would throw them away. I rid you of a fool who would have had you killed for powers you did not even know you had at the time. I destroyed any ties that would have caused you regret later in life. I'm keeping you here, away from those who would kill you for what you can do. I think that in itself makes you need to be loyal to me. And yet you still wish to escape, and try to blow yourself up with a faulty spell. I should kill you myself, but I have other plans for you."

She blanched, thinking she knew what her punishment was to be. Shifting awkwardly on the bed, she noticed she'd been stripped of her boots, gloves and over tunic. All she had on was a thin shift and the bandages. They were in a medic's room, where no one would be able to hear their conversations because spells had been cast to block sounds from resting patients. She dropped her gaze, saying quietly,

"...Is that why we're in here? So you can get what you want at last? I'm not going to bow to you, Janus Zeal, no matter what you decide my punishment is to be. You'd be better off killing me, in case I don't decide to try killing you one day." He laughed, watching her face pale from pain and fear.

"I'm not going to kill you, nor am I going to bed you, so stop squirming like a rabbit. I've decided your punishment is going to make you wish it was either of those however." She looked at him, undaunted.

"Oh yeah? What can be worse than that?" He frowned slightly, then smirked again.

"You're restricted to the Castle grounds, and once out of you chambers you will be accompanied at all times by a guard. You will be stripped of any liberties you previously had, and your work load will be doubled. If you are unable to comply with whatever us given to you, I will resort to other measures. Don't think you're above a sound whipping, Miss Dinn. If you need to be shown your place, I will not hesitate to give the order. And you will no longer be wearing cuffs, but a magic ring will be worn in place." She looked up at this, surprised. He continued, obviously enjoying this.

"I could make a stronger pair, but why should I bother? You've behaved fairly well for the most part for almost half a year now, and you've already figured out the spell which sealed the lesser constraints. A ring will be able to channel your energy to more proper uses of magic, so that you won't be destroying yourself and half a mountain again. What you did required skill and guts. I'm glad to see you had both. That's why you're getting off easy- you're being promoted to scout. If you live to tell about that, then I might consider relaxing some of the other conditions. Don't run away again, Miss Dinn. Because next time it will be more than a slight slap on the wrists and 24 hour surveillance. Good night."

He stood and opened the door, allowing the small tabby into the room. Cyrus jumped up, purring happily as he saw she was more or less alright. She sighed, petting him gently and reflecting over what had just happened. She actually had no idea what _had_ happened; one moment they seemed at each other's throats, the next minute, she was promoted and he was proud. _Proud._ She didn't know if she should feel flattered or afraid. She didn't bother puzzling over it for very long, however, because exhausted from the spell and the day's events, she was still tired. Allowing the cat to curl beside her on the bed, she drifted off into a deep and dreamless sleep.


	24. What do I do again?

*AN- Look!! I'm not dead!! Not only have I come back to write chapter, but I've been inspired to write more, imagine that!! Look NC!! I did it!! And we haven't graduated from College yet!! 

Sooo... yeah. Sorry about keeping everyone waiting for so long . I hope the chapter will make up for it!! It's not as long as originally planned, but I think the ending will make up for that... ^_^;;; So, yeah, this chapter goes out to all of you who've read this far, and those who haven't fallen asleep like me. Special Thanks go to:

Nita-chan: I got it out at last!! Yay!! We'll have to celebrate by watching Dilly.... ^_^ yumm Or looking at provocative pics of Zell... *wink wink* 

Azalai- I'm sorry I've been so long, it's just that this chapter took forever to crank out. First I couldn't get inspired, then I forgot what was going to happen... ^_^;;; So, um, please forgive me?

Wingnut- You're completely right about humor. It took six Yami no Matsuei fics, four Labyrinth fics, a song fic and an awesome LuccaxMagus story Never in a Million Years but I've gotten it done! Hope this lives up to your expectations!!

Parrakarry- Always glad to have a new fan, thanks for writing so much!! The nice long reviews make up for the ones I don't have... Please keep reading, writing those reviews, and let us know when you get some of your stories up!!

Aora Dari- Thanks for telling me to get writing!! It's always nice to have someone tell me to hurry up and update, and it's cool chatting w/ people on IM. Please email me- hotmail doesn't like the format of the email address you gave me.. _ 

Kitten Girl- Umm.... I'm sorry, but the main reason I played CT was because of Magus.... So, um, yah, it's a MagusxEä fic. Sorry!! But you'll keep reading, right?? Right?? *feels bad if she's made someone want to stop reading her fic* Don't worry!! Cyrus isn't completely out of the picture!! Well, he's dead, yeah, but that doesn't matter in fanfiction!! He gets someone better... Later on. A LOT later on, but still....

So, enjoy the fic, and let me know what you think!!

What do I do again??

Ch 12

  
  


"So let me get this straight- I'm now a scout, but instead of getting any kicks, I get stuck with more work than before, and I have to train twice as hard? Why do I want this job again?" Miri sighed, adjusting the tunic Eä was being fitted in. Pinning a sleeve, she took out the pins in her mouth to reply. 

"You do have 'kicks' as you call them, but you have to work for them. You get a new outfit-"

"Which looks ridiculous, I might add. Flea has no fashion sense-"

"Along with a cloak for your excursions. That means you'll be trusted to go out with the companies to take surveys of the land and such. Your lessons will be doubled, yes, but think of how much stronger you'll be!! And maybe, if you don't try anything silly like running away again, Lord Magus will train you himself!! Only one other has ever trained with Lord Magus, but was destroyed a few years earlier by the former knight Captain, Sir Cyrus." Miri grit her teeth as she said his name, and Eä blushed lightly, deciding it'd be better to remain quiet. She didn't want to get stuck on purpose while arguing with the girl about the honor of Cyrus, no matter how tiny the pins were. She simply sighed and was quickly reprimanded for slouching. When the fitting was done, she was released and allowed to prepare for one of her "bonding" sessions with Slash. 'Great', she thought. 'I leave someone armed with pins to go to someone armed with a sword. I sure pick the best situations...I wonder why I'll be pounded today? Hair's not straight? Tunic's 'dirty'? Being a human? I wonder if Magus knows how Slash treats his pupils? Then again, he could've ordered him to be that way to 'toughen' me up. Oh well, if there's one thing I've learned from Slash, it's how to fall down without getting too hurt.'

Swords clashed as Eä approached the training yard- early apparently, because the ones who had been practicing before her were still at it, sword clashing on sword, magic battling magic. Eä remained at the entrance, watching as Flea and Slash viciously attacked Magus over and over again, throwing their skills and curses as neither seemed to work against the mystic Lord. She didn't know that Magus could use swords too, she'd thought he only knew how to use the scythe. He was quick and skilled though, and able to hold his own against the two generals. Ozzie sat barking commands at all of them, telling them where their strategies needed refinement and telling them moves to use against their opponent. Eä mentally smirked. 'Ozzie's the mediator, that's funny. I guess he's too much of a wimp for anything else, and he can't throw magic or fight like any of them. I wonder what this would look like pixilated...? I can just image Glenn, Crono and Marle's faces if they saw them fight. Marle would state the obvious, saying something like, "Why are they fighting each other? They're supposed to up against us!"; Glenn would probably rush in and end up creating massive pandemonium; and Crono would say '...' That'd be funny to see...' However, Eä once again forgot that two of the four were adept in mind reading, and the lesson abruptly stopped. They turned to look at her, and she felt her face go red as they each stared back. Slash immediately frowned, Flea smirked, Ozzie's brow's narrowed, and Magus retained his usual stoic countenance. Flea wiped her brow and blew a kiss to the men, saying, "I need to go and clean up! Can't have someone as pretty as myself looking all sweaty!!"She disappeared into her flaming heart formation even as Ozzie slunk off.

"I'm going to go plan out the next mission...." And he hovered off at the speed of a crazed horse fly, zigging and zagging the whole way. That left Magus and Slash standing, swords still in hand. Slash growled ferally.

"You're interrupting practice, Girl. Go study or wait while your betters finish. We're-"

"Done. Eä, get over here. I want to see how far you've advanced. Slash, don't go easy on her just because I'm here." The tall mystic made a sound of disgust, and Eä figured it was his way of saying, 'Don't worry, I won't." She walked over to her sword instructor as Magus found a seat over by the entrance to watch the spectacle. Slash looked to Magus, who gave the signal to go ahead. Slash allowed Eä to attack, then batted her away like a fly. They parried like this until Magus frowned, and called out to her, "Eä, what's the matter with you? When you first came here, you were better than you are now. What's happened to your form?" She paused a moment as Slash scowled down at her.

"Sir Slash has been teaching me right handed- you saw me fight with my left." He seemed to ponder over this, then pointed over at the rack of training weapons.

"Miss Dinn, get another sword- exchange the large one you have now for two smaller blades. You might find that you'll hit Slash that way.' She looked over at him in surprise, but did as he commanded, replacing the thicker blade for two more delicate rapiers. She did a few practice swings, shifting the weights in her hands, trying to get balanced with the two blades. She'd practiced her right with Slash, and her left in her own time, but never together... It felt oddly right, but no time to reflect over this was given.

Slash flew at her, giving her barely enough time to bring up the swords to defend herself. The two sparring opponents were badly matched, and Eä was on the ground in a matter of moments. She picked herself up painfully, dusting her bottom off and retrieving the two blades at opposite ends of the arena. Magus, however, remained where he was, and waited until she'd collected them to say, "That will be all, Miss Dinn. I need to speak with Slash about your training. You are dismissed." She nodded, and put the practice swords back, hurrying off while praying that whatever the two had to confer about would be in her best interest- hopefully lessening her sword lessons to increase her magic sessions. Not that Flea was any better than Slash, but at least if she ended up killed by Flea, she knew she'd be revived quickly... She stole a glance back, where she found Slash and Magus speaking quietly, Slash nodding every once in a while, then scowling. He caught her eye and gave her a particularly angry glare, and she rushed off to revel in her unexpected but not unappreciated break.

It was short lived, as Cyrus found her in the halls and decided he had nothing better to do than follow her about, complaining about the lack of mice in the castle, and how the cook didn't like giving him scraps. She sighed, but promised to speak to Miri about it to see if she could arrange fish brought up everyday with her own meals. Satisfied, Cyrus leapt to her shoulder to perch like a parrot, tail out for balance. They walked down the halls together, in a silence that belied their mental conversation, more banter than actual talk, until Eä stopped after a very odd comment.

*What did you just say?* 

-I heard that you're supposed to be going out on one of their missions- just to get the basics, you know- nothing too important or hard, just so you can master the skills you need for when you go out on your own.-

*You seem to hear a lot...*

-That's what happens when you stay with Magus. You get to hear things like that. You're going to leave in about a month- I think Magus wants you to improve with your spells and swords before letting you go- not that you'll be going alone, of course. Flea, Slash and a few scouts will be going as well. I have to stay home in front of a nice warm fire while you go out and freeze, oh woe is me.-

*And do you know where we'll be scouting?*

-Yes, but what fun would it be if I told you? I'd much rather see your face when Magus tells you.-

*You're rather buddy-buddy with him, cat.*

-He doesn't insult me as much, plus he gives me fish. I have my reasons to be with him, so you see.-

*You're too easily bribed.*

-You need to lighten up. Go draw or write or something- She sighed, shaking her head, and opened the door which led to her rooms. Putting Cyrus down on the bed, she went over to her table and opened up the book that was acting as her diary as she'd seemed to have lost her two previous volumes from staying with Cyrus and Zeal. Picking up her pen, she dipped the feather into the inkwell and began to write.

~Dear Diary- Had to change password for the spell into you AGAIN, as Someone keeps opening you and reading what I've written. Not that there's much to read anyway. Oh well, at least you have good paper for drawing. I've started to use two swords instead of one- it seems a rather weird way to fight. Oh well, can't go against "Lord Magus". Cyrus says that Magus is just preparing me for a mission- I'm worried about what that might mean- especially if it meas running into 'old friends'. I wonder what would happen...? Glenn would probably try to bring me back "to the right side" again, and I'd probably get another lecture from Jess about being less than a lady. I guess if there's one good thing about being with the mystics, it's that I don't have to remember every noble's face, or be courteous to them. Then again, the tradeoff is being stuck with Ozzie and Slash.. And Magus is such a jerk sometimes! First, he treats me like a plaything, now he's treating me like dirt, and on the mission he'll treat me who knows how!! Next, I'll probably be nothing more than a tool. I really, really wish I hadn't played CT sometimes... Anyways, I'm going to try this new spell out today with Flea- one that's actually useful, imagine that. Summoning objects out of thin air- just like on all those anime shows. But I get stuck with Slash and Flea instead of some bishie to the rescue... Bummer. Anyways, I saw this spell in one of the advanced books, and I think that if I could just-Hold on a minute~

"Who is it?" Eä called, looking over her shoulder at the door as it opened. Miri walked in, smile on her face, and bundle in her hands. 

"I've got your dress and things ready- I figured you might want to put them on. You've been promoted, and you should wear these with pride! So stop scowling, put your book away, and put this on!" Eä bit her lip, frowning.

"Ummm... yeah. Just put it on the bed, thanks Miri. I'll put it on in a few minutes, alright?" Miri gave her a look that told her it was NOT alright, and that she'd better get to it now. Sighing, Eä closed the book and picked up the dress, going to the bathroom as Miri straightened the sheets on the bed. She dressed, came out, and promptly flushed in agitation when she got a look at herself in the mirror. While the outfit was still green, it was a sickly hue and badly designed, thanks to Flea. Eä looked over at Miri, who was stifling giggles. "Miri... PLEASE tell me this is a joke?" The girl shook her head, chuckling merrily.

"No! Sir Flea specifically designed this for you! Though I'm sure if you talk to Lord Magus about it, he'll give you permission to wear something else. I have a few ideas, so I'll tell you what. I'll talk to him tonight when I prepare his room for him, alright?" Eä nodded, sighing, and fell into a chair, ignoring the remarks of the cat that was staring at her with twinkling eyes.   


The wind bit into her face bitterly, and Eä clasped the cloak around herself as though it was her life-line. Why did her first mission have to be in the middle of a freak snowstorm? And what did Magus want up in the mountains that would make his life oh-so-much-better that he had to have it now?? She stamped the snow out of her boots as she thought hostile things about the one who had sent her out here, and glared fixedly at Slash's and Flea's backs, irritated and freezing. The uniform she'd been given was almost exactly like Flea's, only in different colours and with no tights, so she was freezing her butt off in the ice and snow. If she'd been a fire mage, she would've been able to cast a small spell to keep warm, but she wasn't and she was beginning to feel like a popsicle. Slash would glare back in her direction every so often, but remained up in front with Flea. Eä was glad for that at least; Slash would probably be snarling how she was slowing everyone down, but he was too busy to do so. Scouts kept popping out of nowhere, reporting on whatever they had seen and then running off again.

She began to wonder how many possible ways she could make Magus suffer for making them go out in these conditions, but her lovely visions of revenge were interrupted when Slash raised a hand. The company gratefully stopped, and they huddled for warmth, even as Slash peered around the bushes. Eä gladly took the opportunity to rub her hands together and cast a small fire spell to try to keep warm. It didn't work very well, but it was something. She tried to see what Slash and Flea were so engrossed in, but all she could make out were blurry shapes of white and muted blue beyond the bushes. That could mean anything from a troop of lost mystics to a company of Guardian soldiers out for a patrol. She made the mistake of trying to peer farther, because she ended up catching the glare of Slash, who motioned her to him. Silently cursing her own stupidity, she went over and crouched beside him to survey the now clearer shapes. Slash spoke low, even though it was hard enough to hear yourself think in the swirling whiteness that was the snowstorm.

"There are fifteen soldiers, four of them are knights from the castle. They seem to be lost, and rather worn out. We need to get them surrounded so we can capture them. We also need bait. Guess who?" He gave her a grin that did not make her feel comfortable *at all*, and Flea decided to put her own two cents in.

"It won't be hard Eä, all you have to do is look pitifully lost and helpless, and you're good at that. Just make sure you use that color changing spell on your hair so they don't see your mystic hairdo, and you might want to lose the weapons. Have fun!!" With that, Slash took her swords, picked her up rather unceremoniously by her cape, and shoved her out into the swirling snow.

She barely had enough time to change her hair, catch her balance, and pull her cloak back around herself before she found herself blasted by the snow filled gusts of the unprotected area. She gave out a shriek, and promptly fell flat on her butt, the snow ending up I rather uncomfortable areas and soaking her now very sore rear. To make things even more exciting, the soldiers who had been trying to set up camp had heard, and decided to investigate. Three of them were now standing over her, with mixed expressions of confusion, wariness and downright disbelief. One of them held out his hand to help her stand, and the others simply watched, hands on their weapons.

"What is a solitary woman doing out in the middle of a snowstorm, unprotected from both weather and mystics?? Well? Speak up, woman, your life may depend on it." Eä was not in the mood to play simpering female, but she could feel the glare of Slash on her, and she didn't want to have to deal with him later on. Besides, he said they'd capture them, not kill them, right? So, as long as she didn't use her swords in this little episode, she couldn't *really* be held responsible, could she?

*Yes you can, and you know it. You feel guilty even thinking about betraying them, and the only thing keeping you from telling them it's a trap is the fact that your lips are too numb to speak coherently. What would Cyrus say if he knew what you were doing?* she mentally frowned, waging an inwards battle between what seemed to be her conscious and her common sense.

"I can't help it. They don't stand a chance out here anyway, and the sooner we get them back to the castle, the sooner we can all get warm again. Besides, Cyrus knew about this-*

*Wrong Cyrus. What would the Cyrus you were about to marry say?*

*It doesn't matter what he would say. He already thought I was weird, and suspected I was a mystic to begin with. Why not make his assumption true?*

*Maybe because you still feel guilty about being with the mystics, and you did like Cyrus enough to want to protect his name.*

*OH shut up! I'm cold!!*

*You're also scaring the bejesus out of these soldiers. Look at the one on the right! He's quaking in his boots!!!*

*That's because he's cold! Why would they be afraid of me?*

*Maybe because you've been having an argument with yourself for the past few minutes-"

"Shut up!!* 

The man on the right was in fact looking at her oddly.

"Umm.. Miss? Are you alright? You look... Awful." She wanted to say she was about as peachy as she could be while standing in the middle of a snowstorm while being interrogated by idiots and freezing her butt off, but decided that was not the best course of action to take. Instead, she shivered, wishing not for the first or last time she had taken drama class in school.

"I.... I'm so c-cold... L-lost m-my w-way in t-the st-storm, and h-had to f-find somewhere to w-wait...." Another gust blew at them ferociously, and she sucked in her breath, cursing once again the fact that she had no tights or anything to go on her legs. The soldiers seemed to decide that even if she was a mystic, she wasn't worth standing around in the midst of a blizzard for. One of them grabbed her- not roughly, but not gently either- and steered her over towards their fire. There, she was sat down next to even more suspicious soldiers, men who had their swords out and ready to go for blood at any minute. She tried not to flinch as one of them peered at her, a frown on his face.

"What is this, a mystic spy? Dorlan, is this what you saw earlier?" The one who had pushed her to the fire shook his head, and then motioned to two of the men. Eä was then treated to the rather unpleasant experience of having her hands roughly brought behind her back, and getting a dagger held to her throat. Her conscious was feeling rather smug, while her common sense was kicking itself for being so stupid. The older man next to her frowned, crossing his arms for warmth as much as to look intimidating.

"Where is the rest of your company, Mystic?" She tried to look scared, which wasn't too hard, considering she was surrounded by twelve men who looked like they'd jump at the slightest notion and more than happily lop her head off. She gulped, shrinking back from the dagger, and closer to the fire.

"I... I don't know what you're talking about!! I got lost, and it started to snow, and-"

"Why were you in the mountains in the first place?? A woman shouldn't be out alone and unprotected. You didn't dress for the weather either, so don't tell me you came up for a walk and got snowed in. You're in mystic territory right now, and everyone is under suspicion, especially someone who has the emblem of Magus on her cloak." Shit! She'd forgotten about her cloak clasp! She winced as the man nodded, suspicions confirmed. 

"That's what I thought. We'll keep her with us til the snow lets up a little, then we'll go back to the post to turn her in. But I want men kept here so we can find the rest of them." He stood to shake the snow off of his cloak, and she looked up at him, unhappily.

"Can I at least have my hand in front? I'm freezing my buns off, and if I'm frozen like an ice cube I can't be interrogated very well, now can I?" This got her a shove which sent her over the log and face first in the snow. However, her hands were brought in front of her, and she was treated more or less civilly.

* Guess no one feels like making anyone else feel more miserable than they already are. Companions in misery, what fun. I don't think I like snow anymore. I swear, as soon as I've gotten away from these people, back into some dry clothes and had some tea, I'm going to give Magus the what for-*

"Have we met before?" She frowned, her little mental tirade interrupted once again by the soldier who'd been put next to her as guard. He was looking at her closely, and a she looked at him, she too thought she remembered seeing him at some point.

"...Maybe. " He peered at her closer, and then a look of shock crossed his face.

"You're that woman from the inn!! You blew up the wall!!" She flushed, but said nothing, which he took the advantage of by talking even more. 

"You were with some other people then too!! Were they mystics too?? How did you do that? How long did you know you could do that? Are you one of Magus' head mages-??"

"If she was one of Lord Magus' head mages, she wouldn't have been captured so easily. Isn't that so, Eä?" The boy jumped to his feet, staring wide eyed at Slash. The purple Mystic stood grinning in front of them, sword out but resting on his shoulder comfortably. 

"Good job, Eä. You managed to get yourself caught in less that five minutes, and tied up in less than ten. I must say, I'm impressed." She stood up as well, burning off the rope with a fire spell, and taking the dagger from the boy who stood in front of her. 

"Sorry" she whispered, even as she held it at him. He, for his part, stared as the rest of his troop was tossed rather roughly into the fire's area, and all were looking haggard and miserable. Apparently, no one wanted a fight, which was just as well for her-

"FOR THE KINGDOM!! LONG LIVE KING GUARDIA!!" Her soldier-boy then turned around, grabbing the knife back from her and then drawing the sword at his side, which had until then gone forgotten. All Hell decided to break loose as the others followed the boy's example and drew their own weapons. Eä ducked as the kid swung at her head, deciding now might be a good time to try some of her new spells from Flea. Flea, in the meantime, was nowhere to be seen. 

Fire made him yelp, but it was unable to catch fire to his damp and cold clothing- in fact, it probably helped him by drying his things out and making him warmer, and hence, more limber. Ice made him stop to adjust him balance, but it didn't keep him in his tracks. She darted away from the rest of the group that seemed to be having just as much 'fun' as she was, and hoped that the young soldier wouldn't follow her. 

Sure enough, the kid was on her heels and gaining quickly. She raced out into the snow, hoping that maybe she'd lose in the snow, or that he'd give up on her to go help his friends. She also hoped they weren't close to any cliffs...

"Mystic!! Hold!! Stay where you are!!" She slipped on an icy patch in the snow, and grabbed onto a nearby tree to steady herself. The boy held his sword out, glaring and advancing on her with a very unhappy look on his face.

"Um.... Can we talk this out? Like, without the sword?" He continued to advance, and she continued to back up, hands up. "Geeze,, c'mon!! I didn't mean to blow anything up, and it's friggin cold out here, and I can't see anything passed three feet. C'mon, can't we just get along?"

"You seem ill at ease without your swords, Eä. I was *hoping* you'd use some magic, but.... I guess I'll have to save the day for you." Flea materialized out of nowhere and promptly blew up the tree Eä had been holding a few moments before. The blast threw both Eä and the soldier away, the kid towards Flea, Eä over the cliff. Throwing curses at Magus, Slash, Flea, Ozzie, the weather, the soldiers, her stupid short skirt and everything else that popped into mind, Eä quickly chanted a spell that she hoped would keep her from becoming a pancake-shish-ka-bob. A gate opened underneath of her, and she fell through, landing on a very surprised Prince of Zeal in his bed.

  
  


Eä had apologized to the kid profusely for dropping in on him literally and figuratively, and promptly cast a fire spell on the bed to try to dry it. Janus, for the most part, stared at her, stunned.

"Eä... Why are you in my room? And why do you have snow all over you? Did you just come from the ground? Why were you there? Have you been hiding there the whole time? Momma had a bunch of people out looking for you til Daddy told her not to be silly- she was really mad about Alfador..." He hugged the kitten tightly to him, then his eye lit up, as though remembering something.

"Oh yeah!! I never really got to thank you for letting me keep him, Eä!! Thank you!!" He jumped her and she smiled, ruffling his hair affectionately. Then, remembering how exactly she had gotten here, and where she was supposed to be, she stopped and held him at arm's length. He looked surprised and hurt by her sudden actions, but nowhere as near as uncertain as she was. Should she be hugging the kid who was going to be the guy who had been making her life a living hell for the past few months? Heck, should she even be in the room with him -alone- when she was supposed to be helping Flea and Slash on a mission?? Magus was going to be very royally pissed, and it would be a long time before he'd let her out of the castle again. She stared back at him, confused and not knowing what to do.

"Umm... Janus, how long has it been since I was here last?" He cocked his head at her, a frown on his face.

"A couple months... why? Where were you? Did you go home to see your family?" She studied him again, trying to decide if she should tell him everything and go from there, or make up a white lie til she figured out how to get away without Magus figuring out how to find her. If she told him the truth, not only would he have every bit of information as to how to find her and where to look and even when, but he'd also be able to make sure that she didn't go on the mission... But then that would create a paradox in time, wouldn't it?? The only disadvantage to a white lie is that he would know later on whether or not she'd told the truth, and he'd get even angrier that she'd lied to him... 

"Hey, Eä... Are you alr- Oh! Wow!! Cool pin!! Did the people at the castle make it for you? That's really cool, it's got a scythe and... Wait a minute, didn't you say that Magus guy had a scythe? Eä?" Stupid cloak clasp!! Aw heck, might as well go out with it.

So, she sat down on his bed across from him, and gave him everything she'd done in the past few months- glossing over parts like the place she'd stayed at first, and various encounters that had ensued later on... He stared, wide eyed, and then frowned at the end of her tale.

"That Magus guy sounds like a jerk. Why didn't you try to kill him or something??" She looked at him, and burst out laughing. The prince didn't like being laughed at, and demanded to know what was so funny about what he'd said. 

"It- It's just so hilarious to hear *you* of all people say that Magus is a jerk!! God, the irony!!!" She fell over, rolling on the bed and laughing until she eventually fell to coughing. She stopped, and shook her head. Janus watched her as though she'd cracked.

"Eä... are you sure you're ok? He didn't put a spell or anything on you, did he? You're acting really weird! Do you like him now, or are you just trying to get close to him so you can get rid of him later when he's not expecting it? I bet that's it, isn't it?? You're just trying to make him *think* you like him, but then you're gonna sneak into his room and get him!! Then, Glenn'll be saved and you can go back to the castle and visit me more often, and everyone'll be happy!! Right??" He was a glutton for punishment without even realizing it. She mused over the thought of saying she was out to assassinate him, letting him live in paranoia the rest of his adult life, but that would have meant he'd try to kill her the first time they'd met and another paradox would ensue...

"Um.... Actually, Janus, no, I'm not. I'm just waiting til he gets defeated so I can try to get back home without anyone telling me I'm their pawn to be used as seen fit. And, in all honesty, he's not all that bad... Well, he can be a jerk, but he's no worse than anyone else. And, much as I hate to say it... Cyrus was the one to attack him *first*. He was defending himself from a knight that was out to get him, and he had to kill him to ensure his safety..." Janus stared at her, open mouthed.

"The first time you told us about him, you hated him!! Now you're saying you don't?? You said he had to pay for killing Cyrus and hurting Glenn before, and now you're saying it wasn't his fault!! Eä, you're weirder than I thought you were! You *said* you liked Cyrus. It sounds like you like this Magus guy now...." He turned his face from her to sulk, and she sighed, shaking her head. Standing, she stretched and headed towards the door.

"You're right, Janus. I am being stupid. I guess falling off a cliff towards you would-be-death and then creating a really hard spell that uses all your reserved energy will do that to you. I'm going to go to bed, so forget what I said. In all honesty, I don't like him, but I've come to respect him more than I thought possible, considering he's making my life one disaster after another. Look kid, we'll talk later, k? Get some sleep, and I'll see you tomorrow." She quickly exited the room, and walked down the halls, looking for the hall that had led to her old room. Even if it was occupied, she would still be able to find a room that was unoccupied so she could get some sleep.

She did end up finding a place to crash, but it took some time for her to drift off. Her relations with so tangled and complex, it hurt to think of them. She'd liked his character back home; he was a complete asshole in real life. He killed Cyrus, one of the few people from the castle who'd tried to understand her; he had given her a place to stay and learn in the safety of his own home, away from the townspeople who wanted to burn her at the stake. He had pushed and forced her to learn things to earn her keep; he had made the lower mystics respect her for what she could do. He enjoyed playing with her mind; she enjoyed getting him mad. She thought he was really good looking; he thought he was really good looking. He said that she belonged to him; she .... 

Eä frowned, trying to think what would fit into that slot. What he'd said long ago was true; she *had* wanted to go to the CT world, she *had* wanted to meet him, she *had* wanted to have a chance to see what it was like to live in a castle like his. He had given her everything she'd ever wanted, and she didn't know what to do with it. He was a complete asshole, pompous and dark and mysterious and completely what she'd expected him to be.

Damn. How do you hate someone who's given you everything you've ever wanted? 

She sighed, and closed her eyes to finish the though before going to sleep.

He said that she belonged to him; ... she'd have to think about the offer.

  
  


AN- well?? How was it? Not long enough, not worth waiting all those months, I know, I'm sorry *hangs head in shame* But there'll be more, I promise! Lots more! Please, review and let me know what you think!! 11-20-02


	25. It's Only Forever

_*A holographic image shall be used in this AN, so that the author may remain living* Ahem. I'm going to stop making excuses. I've lost most of my steam for this fic, but once in a blue moon, I will update. Please don't kill me ^_^;; Harassing me to get a chapter out works moderately well, but I really am tiring of this story, simply because , if done as I originally planned, there will be over 60 chapters. I'm also reworking the old chapters, as I've made new friends since I started this story named Mr. Paragraph and Mrs. Spell-checker._

_ I'll try to cut out as much miscellaneous stuff as possible, to shorten the story and get it done quicker. Side stories will be completed on a whim, though none will be referred to in the story, so don't worry. _

_I know it's been forever. College was really rough on me, as was an automobile accident that had me slightly not all here because of painkillers for several months. And someone complained to me about this being dirty- is it? Let me know if I should clean I up; I'm not working for smut here. Just let me know what you think, other than that you want my small intestine sauteed with a serving of french fries on the side. What can I say? If you find and kill me now, the story will be dead. Even moreso than it is now. _

_That being said, on with the show!_

_*end transmission*_

  
  


It's Only Forever, Not Long At All....

  


"Eä!"

"Mrrnn..."

"Eä!"

"Mmmphmmm...?"

"Dammit, woman wake up now!!" The covers above her suddenly gone, Eä curled into a ball, wondering why the heck it was so friggin cold in the room. Blearily rubbing her eyes, she squinted up at the tall form above her, half asleep and unable to figure out why he was shouting at her. She peered around for her alarm clock, wondering if she'd slept through it again and if she'd missed the bus. However, as her mind began to focus and her eyes were able to open more than a fraction, she jumped back with a start, letting out a yelp as she peered up at Magus.

"What are you doing in my room? Wait, how on earth did I get back here? Wasn't I in Zeal?" He stood by the bed, arms crossed, irritated scowl in place. Taking back the covers he'd thrown to the foot of the bed, Eä wrapped the warm comforter around her shoulders, scowling right back at him. He glowered at her, and she was almost positive the shadows in the room deepened.

"You passed out while you were on the mission with Slash and Flea, you little fool. The healer said you might have amnesia for several days, but this is ridiculous. It was only a passing glance to the temple. I thought you were incompetent, but once again, you have surpassed all my expectations and have earned the title of 'bumbling idiot.' Get dressed, and go outside. You're going to make up for lost time in your training." She glared up at him, then looked away, getting up with the blanket still wrapped around her shoulders.

"Fine. Get out of my room so I can get dressed." An amused smirk replaced the scowl, and he looked at her with an odd gleam in his eye.

"You really don't remember anything, do you?" She broke out into a cold sweat at the tone of his voice, somewhat playful and definitely dangerous. She backed away from him, despite the fact that he remained still on the other side of the bed. Cautiously, she eyed him as he stood there, silently laughing at her. 

"What do you mean? What's so funny, Magus? Why are you looking at me like that? And, WHY THE HELL AM I IN YOUR ROOM???" His smirk grew into a leering grin, and he sat down on the bed, stretching languidly as he watched her.

"You weren't complaining last night..." She must have fainted. Because the next thing she knew, she was lying on the bed, and Magus was leaning over her, a curious look on his face.

"By your actions, I'll take it you don't remember what we did.... Ah well. Guess I'll have to show you again, that's all." With that, he leaned over and began trailing kisses down her neck, which shocked and froze her to the spot. Her eyes widened, and for once, she couldn't think of anything to say. Her mind was completely blank, she couldn't even raise a hand to smack him away, as much as she was sure she wanted to.

He continued his ministrations to her neck, coming to stop by her ear. He drew back slowly, nibbling her chin to work his way up to her lips. She didn't even register the fact that he was kissing her; in fact, she was thinking that passing out to find this was a bad dream was a great idea. He stopped again, pulling away to look into her eyes.

"I told you that you were mine. Why are you fighting me?" She stared back into his eyes, wondering if she'd ever seen them so gentle. She was proud of herself when she was able to speak, although there was a tremor underneath and she squeaked somewhat.

"Wh-at? M-Magus??" He smiled at her, and she knew she'd never seen him smile like that.

"I said you'd be mine, and I'll protect you from anyone who tries to harm you. So what do you say?" She stared at him, deciding once again she'd hit her head harder than she'd thought, and was now having hallucinations. She also wondered how long she could possibly prolong unconsciousness as well, but Magus didn't wait for her reply. Instead, he moved back to her ear, and bit her. Hard.

  


"OWWWWW!!!" Why did you bite me, you blood sucking- what? Janus? What are you doing here? Where's Mag- Alfador! Did you bite me?" The kitten was sitting on her chest, rubbing his head against the ear he'd just nipped, and purring loudly. Janus had a funny look on his face, watching her carefully as she rubbed at her tender ear. She scowled down at the cat in her lap as she sat up, then blinked at the sunlight filling the room she'd stumbled into. It wasn't in fact, a bed room, as she'd thought it was when she'd thrown herself into it the night before. In the morning light, she could tell that what she had mistaken for a bed was actually a sofa in a small study, and her location was in the wing with the library. 

Janus looked at her suspiciously as she began to stand up, ignoring Alfador's mewling to stare hard at her. Eä hoped she wasn't blushing, memory of the nightmare- it couldn't be considered anything else, of course- still fresh in her mind. He watched her as she stretched, working out the kinks in her muscles and trying to ignore his inquisitive stare.

"Eä..."

"I don't know about you, Janus, but I could go for some breakfast, and maybe some sun bathing! How about you?" 

He frowned up at her, a suspicious look darkening his young features, and Eä felt a sinking sensation as he ignored the bait she'd set out for him.

"You were mumbling in your sleep, Eä." She felt her face flush even deeper, and prayed that he didn't see it. Of course, the little brat picked right up on it. Jumping up onto the arm of the sofa, Janus looked at her peculiarly.

"Are you ok, Eä? Your face is all red! You must be sick! Are you sick?" Shaking her head to both attempt to put the boy at ease and cool off her flaming face, Eä plastered on a cheery fake smile, and stood.

"No, no, I'm fine, really Janus. It's just the, er, sun was, um, on my face and I , uh, got a little warm, is all. I'm fine, honest. How about you? How are you today?" He looked at her as though she'd grown a third arm from the middle of her forehead, but reluctantly answered the question.

"I'm ok.... And Mother finally doesn't care about Alfador anymore, which is good, but she's been spending a lot of time shut up in her throne room, so I don't think she really remembers him. If you're not right there in front of her, she'll forget you kinda quick... She's been busy since Daddy went down to the ice caves on the floating mountain. She has to do all his work while he's away, and she and Schala have been doing lots of things. I don't know what- Mother told me to stay out of the way, and when Schala can come see me, she always tells me that I shouldn't worry, and that she'll be able to play with me again as soon as Daddy comes back with Dalton and Ark and the other people that went out. But no one knows when that will be, 'cause no one's heard from them in over a week... What if they don't come back, Eä?"

She stood there, looking down at the young boy before her, and felt a gnawing in her stomach that could best be described as dread. No one from her place knew how the king had died, but she had always guessed it was in some horrific and terrible way. What else would have driven the queen mad and made her go to Lavos' side? The queen she'd met last time was harsh, yet caring to her two children- nothing at all like the evil woman who created the underwater palace, and didn't care about working one child to death while the other got sucked into oblivion. She also felt guilt in her gut, because she had a feeling King Daedelus knew the risks he'd taken on this venture would mean his death because of their meeting that fateful night months ago. She sighed, trying to put on a cheerful smile for him.

"I'm sure they will, Janus. Just give them time. I'm sure whatever they're doing is very important, and you have to keep faith in them. Just be patient, ok?" He nodded, although he still seemed upset. She tried to reassure him by ruffling his hair, and giving him a brighter smile.

"I don't know about you, but I'm famished! Let's get some food, shall we?" 

  


Several days passed since her return to Zeal, but she neither saw nor hear from either Schala or the queen. It seemed that both women had holed themselves in the throne room indefinitely, and were not about to have audiences from anyone- not even random green-haired weirdos that came from sparkling portals and claimed to come from another time. (Eä had always considered the Zealans kinda spacy, but when she told the guard at the door she would send him into the past before primates came to the earth, he simply nodded, told her to go away, and went back to standing at his post. The people there were *totally* bizarre.)

It was almost a week after she'd arrived that she came across Janus sitting in the library, looking as despondent and miserable as a child can look when it's beautiful weather outside and he's stuck inside. He was more than happy to sneak off with her, Alfador at their heels as they stealthily snuck out of the castle. Making themselves comfortable on the soft grass near the path that led to the sky gate, both sat in companionable silence for some time; Eä making flower chains for Alfador to chase, and Janus, lying on his back to watch the clouds whisper by. They'd been sitting for almost half an hour in comfortable silence when Janus spoke up.

"Eä, what you told me before, about this Magus guy.... Is it true?" She put down the necklace, looking at the boy warily.

"What do you mean, Janus? Is what true?" He sighed, rolling onto his side to get a good look at her face.

"When we first met, you said you loved this Cyrus guy. Now, you're saying that you're working for the guy that killed him, and he's mean to you! Is that true? Why? Why are you working for him when he's so bad? Aren't you afraid he's going to hurt you?" She stared at him, mouth slightly open, as his own gaze was intent upon her face. She didn't know what to say for a moment- she wouldn't think that a kid as young as Janus would even care about the complications of love and hate, let alone attempt to comprehend it. Thinking back on what she told him the night she returned, she spoke slowly, trying to come up with a way to describe her completely bizarre and non-normal relationship with his older self.

"Cyrus... Cyrus was a wonderful man. He was brave and honest, maybe a bit dense at times, but an overall good person. He did what he believed was right, and never looked back. But, he was too headstrong for his own good. He wanted people to fit into the roles that he thought they should play, and was angry whenever he didn't get his way. Like I said, he was the one who attacked Magus first- and he paid the price for it.

"Magus is much different than Cyrus. He doesn't really care if I do what he expects me to do, just as long as I don't do anything that will get him angry. He's... " she trailed off for a moment, a smirk pulling at the corners of her mouth. "He's a jerk sometimes, yes, and I often want to do nothing more than shout at him and tell him what a pompous as-, um, idiot he's being. But I know that deep down, he's a good person. He does what he does because he's got a goal in mind, and I find it admirable. True, he's ruthless trying to see those goals through, but I think that's the way he first earned the respect of his people. They all adore him now, and he's decent enough to them. So, although in the future I might have some choice words for him, I'll continue to follow him until I can return home." 

The prince seemed slightly mollified by this answer, and returned his gaze to the clouds to mull over this new information she'd given him. Another ten minutes of silence was broken when he sat up very suddenly, and very angry.

"Hey! You didn't answer my questions! You just... I don't know! You tried to change the subject." _Damn perceptive brat_, she thought uncharitably, although with some respect. You had to give it to him, he didn't miss much. She sighed, shifting in her seated position.

"I'm not working for him because I really want to, there just isn't anything else I can do at the moment. And no, I'm not afraid he'll hurt me. I know he can, and will if I do something incredibly stupid, but he's relatively fair when it comes to doling out punishments, and the worst I've gotten was doing more training with a floating toad that did nothing but sleep while he was supposed to be giving me history lessons or some other boring thing. As I said, he's not evil, and if I'm punished I'm sure I deserved it." _Though I'll still raise Hell if I think it's too much_, she thought grimly. Janus continued to sulk.

"But Cyrus-"

"Cyrus wanted me to fit into the role of obedient woman who would answer his every beck and whim. If I had married him, I would have been miserable. Not because he was a bad person, but because he wanted me to change too much, and I wouldn't have been able to do it. We would have fought, and there would have been a lot of misery on both sides. While I am still very sad about his death, I know that even if he had lived we still would have lived different lives. I liked him for who he was, and I will miss him terribly. He was a good friend." she glared at Janus, who had opened his mouth to speak again.

"And before you ask me if I have undying love for Magus, I don't, so hush." He began to protest, but their attention was moved to the form of several of the guards running towards them. Both of them stood, and Eä felt the return of her earlier feeling of fear. Whatever they had come to say, it was bad; the grim expressions on the men said as much without speaking a word.

"The Black Wind...." Eä squeezed Janus' shoulder as he mumbled this, and gave him a comforting smile, trying to reassure him through touch, if nothing else. The soldiers came to a stop in front of them, bowing to Janus.

"Your majesty, please, you must return to the palace at once. Your presence is needed immediately." Janus tensed up, and he stepped forward, shrugging off Eä's hand as he came to stand in front of her. She marveled at how quickly he had seemed to shed his youth; before her stood a boy with a look of sincerity no kid under the age of ten should have to wear.

"What has happened? Why am I needed?" The soldier bowed again, deeper this time.

"My Prince, I am sorry, but I was only told to inform you that you were needed immediately by your sister, the Princess Schala. Please, highness, we must go back quickly." Janus' eyes grew wide, and for a moment his sober facade slipped to that of a startled child. It was quickly regained, however, and he followed the man without a word. Eä and the other soldiers followed behind just as rapidly, although Eä felt the leaden weight of worry slow her pace. Whatever the news, she knew it would be bad. She suddenly had the horrible feeling that she would never see King Daedelus alive and well again.

  
  


*the end!*

  


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Haha, I'm kidding. Don't kill me!! *runs off to hide*

  


They entered the throne room, and to her astonishment, Eä saw only Schala and the three gurus. Queen Zeal was nowhere to be seen, nor was anyone who had gone off on the mysterious mission. Eä forced herself to think positively, trying to assure herself that there was nothing wrong at all, and that everything would be fine. The rational part of her mind laughed at the dreaming part, telling it that there was no way that faces so long could be the bearers of happy news. Sure enough, when Schala spotted Janus, she broke away from the gurus and ran to her little brother, scooping him up in her arms. Her eyes were red and swollen, her cheeks tear stained. She was sniffing uncontrollably, and seemed to have acquired the handkerchiefs of the gurus in her time with them.

"Oh Janus, Janus..." She cried softly into her half brother's should, sobs wracking her body with the effort she used trying to suppress her cries. Janus, slightly stunned, looked at her blankly.

"Schala...?" Alfador mewed by their side, looking from one to the other in a distressed way. Eä came to stand by the gurus, allowing the siblings their time to mourn in peace. Grimly, she looked over the three men's faces, and quietly asked the question that had been making her feel so sick.

"The King....?" Belthasar nodded solemnly.

"Is dead. Crushed by an ice fall in the cave. Some sort of explosion caused a large chunk of ice to fall, and most of the party was instantly killed. Dalton and two other soldiers escaped, but Dalton has been badly injured, and both of the soldiers were seriously wounded. It is unlikely that either will live." She bit her lip, looking over at the two grief-stricken royals. To see them in such a state made her heart ache, but she knew there was nothing she could do. Once again, people had been hurt, despite her attempts to change their fates.

"The Queen...?" Gaspar sighed, shaking his head.

"She's locked herself in her quarters, and will not allow anyone to comfort her, nor any food or drink to be brought. I am afraid of what might happen, Miss Dinn. The fate of the kingdom seems perilously close to destruction." At this, Schala stood angrily, wiping her eyes with a sleeve and sniffing again before speaking.

"It is no such thing, Guru! While my mother is ill, I will take over control of the throne and the duties that come with it. I will not allow my country to fail because its king is dead and its queen incapable of rule at the moment. With your help, we can keep it going until Mother is once again able to take over. Do you understand?" The fire in her eyes dared anyone to say otherwise, but no one spoke. The three men bowed before her, and Eä admired her strength in this dark hour. Schala, seemingly approving of their silence, spoke again.

"My first decree is that the place where my father died will be known forever more as Mount Woe. It is a place that will bring happiness to no one, as it has robbed us of our beloved king. I will address the people later today, and tell them of our loss. We must prepare funeral rites- even if we do not have his body, we can still try to guide his spirit to the afterlife. Please, gurus, will you see to that? I'm afraid I will have many other things to do in the next few days. It is imperative that we do not show weakness in our most vulnerable hours, to keep peace amidst the people, and to give them hope. A kingdom without hope is lost beyond redemption- do what you can to help people mourn, but not panic. We will all get through this, somehow." She gave a wavering smile, then turned back to the boy standing beside her.

"Now, please excuse us, I would like to be alone with my brother for a little while." Respectively, all others left the room silently, and Eä cast one last look back at the two before shutting the doors behind her.

  


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She stayed on for two months more- time flying by, despite the fact that no one was in high spirits. She did what she could to cheer her friends up, but how could she comfort them? She hadn't known the king that well- she'd liked him immensely since the time she'd first met him, but she hadn't had enough time to really learn more about him. And now he was gone. The man that held the royal family together- and maybe even the kingdom- was dead, his step-daughter trying to hold the reins of the kingdom while comforting her little brother and attempting to get her mother to come out of her rooms. Schala was pale and thin under the pressure, but when anyone suggested she rest, she became stubborn and worked twice as hard.

Dalton eventually recovered from his wounds- they had been deep, but he travailed through the painful recovery, and was back to his usual duties. When she'd run into him quite by accident, Eä told him how very sorry she was for his loss- Ark, although somewhat odd and not what you would call a good friend, had been one of those killed in the accident, and she was genuinely sorry that he was gone. He had been nice enough to her, had even helped her leave Zeal to try to return home. She spoke softly and spoke sincerely, bowing her head in respect for the dead.

Dalton passed her without a glance, saying he had no time for weakling fools.

Surprisingly, he was allowed admittance to the queen's chambers. Though he never told anyone what had transpired between the two of them, he would tell any who asked that the queen was well on the way to recovery, and would soon be up and ready to rule the kingdom again. No one questioned him, though all wondered if they truly would ever see their softly smiling queen again.

  


Fate loves to toy with people, was Eä's thought on the matter. Because 12 weeks after the accident that killed the King of Zeal, Queen Idris Zeal reemerged from her rooms, a completely different woman.

  


Schala had been holding court, trying to figure out what would be the best way to settle the unrest of the earthbounders without upsetting the enlightened people who stood to either side of the throne. She was trying to patiently tell everyone that they needed to calm down and think of things rationally when the doors to the throne room swung open as though a great burst of wind howled through the castle, and the queen stepped through the door.

Gone was the subdued garment of blue , and the simple band of gold about her head. Gone was the smiling face of a woman who loved her husband, her children and her people. Gone was the woman they had all known. In her place stood the new Queen Zeal, and Eä felt a shiver run through her, even as she gazed upon the more recognizable version of the queen. Zeal's future was looking grim indeed.

She strode meaningfully towards the throne, spiked haired bobbing slightly as she came to a stop before her daughter. She smiled, although there was no warmth to the gesture. Schala jumped down from the throne, and threw her arms around her mother. Zeal allowed this, although she did not return the hug. Janus ran to his mother's side, but she brushed past him, coming to stand at the top of the throne's steps. She turned, preparing to address the people who stood before her.

"My good people, I thank you for your patience as I have recovered these two months. I needed the solitude to think over all that I had heard, and all that I had seen. I realized that the way Zeal was heading, our future would not be a bright one." The people murmured at this, earthbounders and enlightened ones alike speaking amidst each other.

"Luckily, my daughter Schala has been able to keep you strong in this dark hour, our hour of need. I am happy to say that she is my daughter, for I could have asked for no better child to carry on the Zealan line." Again, murmurs and a few claps for Schala, though it was quickly silenced again. Zeal's smile grew colder.

"Indeed, I realized as I lay there, weeping for the loss of my husband, that there is one thing that even in out most powerful of time, we cannot overcome it. Despite our wishes and our dreams, we cannot achieve one thing- eternal life! To live forever, we would surely be able to rebuild Zeal to its former glory- no, we would surpass it, and become legendary! Our might would be the only one there was- any who opposed the line of Zeal would be destroyed." A stunned silence allowed her to continue.

"I realize that this dream may seem impossible. To many of you, it must seem madness to even think of defying both time and death, impossible and dangerous. But, while I kept my solitude, I came to learn of a being that can make our dreams come true. He has the power to make us gods, if we simply do as he says! With his help, we will rise above all others, and become the most powerful beings in all of time!" Eä winced, knowing whose name it was that Zeal still had not spoken out loud. She bit her lip, looking around to see how people were reacting to her speech.

The gurus seemed slightly interested, although still suspicious. The members of the court looked excited, encouraged by the return of their queen, despite the madness she was speaking. Schala looked torn, not sure wether to be happy to have her mother back, or unhappy to hear her talk of immortality. Janus looked upset, and his hair was swaying in a slight breeze that seemed to affect no one else. _The Black Wind_, she realized with a start. Zeal began to speak again, so she focused on the woman once more.

"I have spoke with Lavos, a mighty being that will help us reach our full potential, and rise above those not worthy of the life they are given." She looked pointedly at the earthbounders, who shifted uncomfortably under her burning glare. She continued, ignoring them as though they were scum. 

"Lavos told me that he regrets not being able to save my husband, but he hopes that we will not become discouraged as we make our brighter future. It is our destiny!!" At this shout, the queen began to laugh- a horrible, evil sound, and Eä could bear it no longer. Rushing out of her place from the shadows, she spoke angrily to the queen.

"You've got it all wrong! Lavos wants to do nothing more than use you! Yes, you might end up immortal, but at the cost of your souls! Is it worth losing your humanity to live forever? Is your greatness the only thing that-" the queen cut her off, still cackling slightly.

"Ah, you see, little girl, I am not afraid of you. Lavos told me that you would try to turn us against him. That you would spread lies, trying to make our faith in him falter, and stop the good things that he wishes to help us achieve! He told me all of what you say is a lie, so listen to me well, _girl_. Either you shut up and do as you are told, or you go off to wherever you came from, and pray that you never have to face the wrath of Lavos and Zeal!" Eä glared at her angrily, not standing down.

"I may not be from your kingdom, but I know what I'm talking about! Everything that has to do with Lavos ends up destroyed! He's just using you to gain more power for himself! Please! You must believe me!! Schala!" She turned to her friend, who was still very obviously torn. She wanted to believe what her mother was saying, and yet at the same time, knew that Eä also spoke the fear she felt. Looking to her mother, the queen saw this uncertainty and pounced on it.

"Schala! Lavos told me that you will play an important part in gaining our immortality! Join me, and rule by my side as my equal! Mother and Daughter, we will rule the world!" Schala looked as though she wished to protest, but Eä made one last attempt to reason with the woman.

"Queen Zeal-"

"Enough! If you are not with us you are against us! You will earn what you deserve one day! Dalton! Take her away!" Dalton came through the doors towards her, but she brushed him off, turning to leave on her own. She shot back a parting comment.

"I am sorry to see the lady I so greatly respected fall so low as to conspire with worms and fools against her own people. I pray for the sake of all your people that those who were wise enough to avoid this folly survive when your kingdom crumbles from the sky!" She gave a sad parting smile to Schala, a nod to Janus, and stalked through the door in a huff. The boy ran out into the hall after her, and she returned his fierce hug.

"Don't worry, Janus. We'll meet again. Til then, take heart, ok? No matter what happens, where you go or who you face.... Take heart." He sniffled into her shoulder, and nodded mutely. Giving him one last squeeze, she set off to leave Zeal once again.

  
  


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Sighing, she dumped herself into the chair across from him, and didn't even bother trying to worm her way out of whatever inane punishment he came up with this time. She was exhausted, both mentally and physically, and wanted nothing more than their interview to be over with. 

Magus had of course known the minute she returned, but had let her make her own way back. She took her time, of course, delaying the inevitable, but came to the gates of the castle and made her way to his study without even having to be told. A wide berth was given to her- the imps and various creature must have sensed she was in no mood to tarry. Even Ozzie, who enjoyed making smart comments as she passed whizzed to hide in a different room as she made her way through the bowels of the castle. Sighing, she had pushed the door open and walked in unannounced. The sooner she got it over with, the sooner she could crash. Of course he was there and waiting, an irritating smirk on his face. If she had had the strength, she would have wiped it off if his face; as it was, all she wanted was a bed.

"You certainly took your time." She sighed again, slumping into the chair.

"I know. I'm tired. Sue me. As you know, I left in a bad mood, and being angry all the time takes a lot out of you. Can we just skip the chit chat please? I want to go to bed." He looked at her, amused, and she stirred up enough energy to scowl at him. "What?"

"That wasn't quite what I meant, Eä. I meant you took your time coming to learn that running away wouldn't make any difference, because you knew I would find you. I'm proud of you, it only took almost a year." Her scowl doubled in strength, but her wit was somewhat lagging behind. The only retort she could come up with was apt, though terribly inept.

"Jerk." He laughed, and she looked at him blearily.

"Can you just tell me what my fate is to be, so I can go to bed? I'm sinking fast, and unless you want me comatose in this chair for goodness knows how long, please hurry up." He quirked an eyebrow, slightly skeptical.

"Does your spell wear you out so much, then?" She sat up straighter, even more irritated now.

"You know it does. It's pretty much the only spell I can do, and it takes almost everything out of me when I do it. It sounds bad, I know, but considering back home magic didn't even _exist_, I think I'm doing well. Now, will you please stop being a pompous ass and tell me what you're going to do with me so you don't leave me hanging?" He was silent, and Eä began to get up, intent on leaving and listening to him complain later, after she'd gotten some sleep. He spoke softly though, and his words kept her in her seat.

"What did you think you would accomplish, by speaking to her like that? You knew it wouldn't work. Why try?" She sighed, although she straightened herself again so she could think more clearly.

"I guess I like trying to screw up fate. It doesn't work, but I seem to like endeavoring in fruitless and completely hopeless tasks. I don't know. I guess I hoped I could sway Schala more; try to make her realize her mistake before.... well, you know. I failed though. Maybe if I was stronger, or had better persuasion skills... But things have to go as planned, I guess, and Fate won't let me try to tidy things up when I shouldn't be meddling. I seem to like banging my head against the wall when it comes to warning people of their fate- no one believes me until they're dead or they've turned into a frog or something equally as awful. I guess I'm like that prophet woman... Crap, I can't remember her name, but she was the one who warned the Trojans against the horse, and they didn't believe her and the whole city burned.... You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?" He shook his head, and she sighed again, closing her eyes and resting her head on the back of the chair. " Anyway, I guess I'm drained because of that too. Mentally, if not emotionally." A silence fell between them for a short while, and Eä wondered if Magus would notice if she fell asleep before he dismissed her, and what he would do upon finding her unconscious. She didn't find this out, however, as he spoke again.

"You're not going to be punished, Eä, because technically, you didn't run away. I knew where you were the whole time, and when you returned, you came back here without making any detours. Last time, you tried to run away. This time, you didn't. There won't be a punishment." She cracked an eye open to look over at him.

"Does that mean I can go?" Absently, he nodded, and she stood, saluting as she did so. He walked her to the door, looking after her with an odd expression on his face. She was several feet down the hall when he called out again.

"Eä." She turned, looking at him expectantly. His face was blank, but his eyes were thoughtful. She wondered what on earth he could be wanting, or if he'd changed his mind about punishing her for cowardly abandoning the fight and hopping into another time period. He was being weirdly silent, and it was beginning to freak her out. He seemed to notice this, and he smiled with an evil grin.

"I'm not going to punish you, but you're getting another mission. Come report to me when you've rested." With that, he turned on his heel and closed the door, leaving her to storm down the hall in a foul mood. Upon going to her room and giving Cyrus a look that said 'don't even think about talking to me right now', she curled up and went to sleep almost instantly.

  
  
  
  
  
  


_*hologram authoress again* _

_I know, not worth two years.... But 11 pages isn't too bad, right?_

_ Don't sue me, hunt me down, or anything else, just send me emails that give me suggestions. I'm getting worn out with this, people, since nothing seems to be going on very slowly... I want to get to the good parts, but I need filler. Help would be great!!_

_Anyway, it's now past four in the morning, and I've got to be up in five hours. Crap. Leave me a review telling me how much you hate me, how much you love the story, ideas for what you'd like to see, anything. Just leave a review. Several would be nice ^_^ _

_I'm off!_

_*end transmission*_


	26. In which Magus has some SERIOUS attitude...

*_Here we go, two in one month! A new record for me! Huzzah! Please review!! _

_Oh, rating has been upped because I was stupid and never really noticed it was only pg13. Rating is for sexual innuendo (haha, didn't see THAT one coming, did you?) and language.*_

  


_"_Eä!"

"Mrrnn..."

"Eä!"

"Mmmphmmm...?"

"Dammit, woman, wake up now!!" The covers above her suddenly gone, Eä yelped as she curled into a ball, wondering why the heck it was so friggin cold in the room. Blearily rubbing her eyes, she looked up at the tall form above her; half asleep she was unable to fathom why he was yelling at her. She squinted and looked around for her alarm clock, wondering if she'd slept through it and had yet again missed the bus. However, as her mind began to focus, and her eyes were able to open more than a fraction, she let out a yelp as she peered up at Magus. He was standing above her with a rather angry look on his face, and Eä wondered what she'd done to make him so angry with her that he'd put on a scowl so intimidating so early in the morning. Frantically, she stole back the covers he'd roughly pulled from her, and wrapped them around herself tightly, hoping he'd been a gentleman and hadn't notice the way her nightgown was somewhat form-revealing. For her modesty's sake, and his own personal health, he'd better not mention it, even if he had noticed.

"What are you doing in my room? Wait a minute, how did I end up back here? Wasn't I in Zeal? And haven't we had this conversation already? Whoah, deja vu..." He looked down at her disgust, as though she were a lower form of life, somewhere between pond scum and Ozzie- definitely not worth his time. She allowed herself to scowl right back at him- who wanted to wake up with him peering down at them with that stupid egocentric look on his face?

"You got back here last night, you little fool. I know you were tired, but this is ridiculous. I thought you were incompetent, but-"

"'once again, you have surpassed all of my expectations and have earned the title "bumbling idiot'. Yeah, yeah, I know, save it. I've heard it before." Then, remembering how the rest of her dream had gone, she looked around quickly. She was happy to note that she was, in fact, in her own room. And Magus didn't look like he wanted to bite or try to seduce her, which was good. Bite her head off for being slow when she was tired, maybe, but nothing else. Relaxing a bit because of this, she allowed herself to smile a little, stretching and rubbing her eyes again.

"So what do you want, anyway? Was I supposed to be doing something? I thought you said you'd call for me or something. Wait, no, you said to come to you when I was rested. Well, guess what? I'm still tired. Go away." With this, she pulled the covers over her head, and hoped he would go away if she ignored him and pretended she couldn't feel the glare through the down comforter. Of course, he failed to do this, ripping the covers off of her and scowled down at her once again.

"I changed my mind. You're going to get dressed _now_, and then you're going to prepare for the mission I told you about last night. When you're ready, I'll tell you where we're going." 

"Hey! I'm not in any shape for a mission! I bet I only got four hours of sleep, and if I go on a mission, I'll fall on my face and be asleep before I hit the ground! Hey! Are you listening to me?? Hey!!" He turned from his retreat towards the door, a smirk on his face. His expression grated on her nerves, but it wasn't that which got her so upset. It was a combination of the look and his parting comment as he left to let her dress:

"You know, for all that your little nightie covers you, you might as well sleep nude. Then again, perhaps it would be best if you remained covered- you've nothing to flaunt, after all." The spell book that had once graced her bedside table did not stand a chance against the closed door, and thudded ineffectually against the wood.

  


Almost an hour later, Eä was once again sitting in a chair across from Magus, the scene reminiscent from the night before, save for the light that filtered through the windows. She sat there scowling at him, willing him to burst into flames with the heat of her glare. Unfortunately, because she was still exhausted, it came out more as a pout, and he simply looked amused. Jerk.

He leaned forward onto his desk, steepling his fingers together with a smile. He was obviously enjoying this, and she did all she could to keep from growling at him. She was tired, hadn't been able to spend nearly enough time in the bath, and felt like she'd jumped from the gargoyle statue and had landed on her stomach. Still somewhat groggy, she rubbed her eyes again and stifled a yawn.

"Ok, what's so important that you had to wake me up?" He ignored the irritation that laced her words, choosing to look directly into her eyes. This startled her a bit, as he rarely used this technique when giving her an assignment; it was intimidating, and yet she couldn't bring herself to look away, as he obviously wanted her full attention.

"Tomorrow at dawn, you and I are going on a trip into Truce Canyon and up into the mountains. I want you to do what you must to prepare for the trip, packing as much as you think you will need, but not so much that you will tire yourself out before we reach our destination. You will not need to bring anything to sleep upon, as I do not expect we will be sleeping outside. Furthermore-"

Eä held up a hand, stopping him.

"Wait a minute, you keep saying you and I. What exactly _is_ this mission? It must be really important if you're coming- I mean, usually you make me go out with the three stooges, and I end up with all the crappy grunt work. Why you, and what will I be doing?" He gave her a smile that told her it would be best to shut up and just listen to what he had to say. Slightly cowed, and not really in the mood to fight (she'd honestly rather just sleep), she held her tongue as he continued as though she had not spoken.

"Furthermore, your weapons would best be left here, because we'll be making a stop in town on the way over, and weapons on women are conspicuous. If you feel you must be armed in some way, take a knife that you can hide about your person. You'll need to do something with your hair as well." He looked at her, almost daring her to argue, but she simply shrugged.

"Ok, whatever. As long as you don't expect me to fight, I don't care if I don't have a sword or anything. I'll take a knife though- you never know if you're going to need one. So, does this conclude the mission debriefing, or is there more I should know about?" He waved her away non-commitally, and she rose awkwardly, once again trying to rub her eyes into focus. A regal eyebrow rose as he watched her sway slightly as she stood there.

"Are you ill, wench?" She ignored him, biting her lip in the hopes that this would keep her from saying something she would regret later, and also try to give her something to focus on as she stumbled away. She made a noise to indicate she was fine, and went back upstairs to crawl back into her now-cold bed.

  
  


The next morning, they set out at dawn, as Magus had promised they would. Despite the fact that she was still somewhat worn out from her last 'journey', Eä found herself relishing the idea of leaving the castle to go out and do something. Even if it did involve following Magus around like a love-sick puppy. She decided he was only making her come along to boost his ego by saying irritating things like, "woman, Ozzie walks faster than you", and "You're looking rather plain today- did you forget a spell to mask some of your ugliness, or are you going all out to scare away anything that comes across our path?" To these 'loving' remarks, she simply smiled sweetly at him and asked him if he needed help carrying his pack, since it must be hard walking around with a stick so far up one's backside. Needless to say, he fell into a brooding silence, and she relished the quiet. However, from time to time she glanced over at him, wondering if it was just her imagination or if he was particularly moody. When he caught her looking, he glowered at her and went back to his sulking. Needless to say, she remained quiet as well, and decided not to attempt anything that she might regret later.

The walk from the cave was shorter than she'd thought it would be, because Magus grabbed her around the waist and teleported them a few miles from a town near the Canyon. It also might have been because she was actually enjoying the walk; the air was crisp and cool, and the company, while not very pleasant, was quiet, which was more than could be said about traveling with Ozzie, Slash and Flea. There was a light layer of snow on the ground that made a crunching noise with each step, and she was happy that the cloak she'd been given had a fire-spell woven into the cloth for warmth. Even if she disliked most of the mystics she'd met, she had to admit they were clever when it came to scouting attire.

Magus came to an abrupt halt, and so lost in her own thoughts, Eä almost bumped into him. The glare that he shot her froze her in place, however, and she looked back, slightly miffed to realize the happiness of being out of the castle was starting to go away. Somewhere between their last conversation and their arrival at the town, Magus had lost his temper. Although she wanted to know what was eating him, he didn't look like he was in the mood to explain. Instead, he made a slow circle around her, scrutinizing every aspect of her. As he prowled around her, she began to grow irritable.

"What are you doing? Making sure I don't have a 'Kick me, I'm a mystic spy' paper on my back?" He let out a snort, although she couldn't decide if it was laughter or derision. He came to stop in front of her, and brought the hood of her cloak over her head. It was too large for her, and the heavy material instantly blinded her. Pushing it back up so she could see, she glowered at Magus, who had turned his back to her so that he could survey the town more closely.

"What was that for?" He remained with his back to her, but from the tone of his voice, she could tell he wasn't happy.

"The whole back of your head is green. I swear woman, you can't even perform the simplest task of dying your own hair. I want you to keep your hair and face covered, to avoid either being recognized." She frowned at his back, wondering what had put him in such a mood. Grouchily, she muttered under her breath.

"Yeah, and you're Mr. Inconspicuous..." He turned to put a scalding glare on her, and she was once again cowed into silence. For one thing, he was back in his 'merchant' disguise, complete with blonde hair and common merchant's clothes. For another thing, he looked royally _pissed_. She bit her lip and tried not to make it look like she wanted to run and find somewhere to hide. She'd never seen him so livid, and it was seriously freaking her out. He looked... _scary_.

"You will remain silent until I tell you that you are allowed to speak again." this was spoken in such a way that he made it perfectly clear this was not a request. His voice was low, but the anger resonated in every word. Had it been the middle of the summer, the flowers would have turned to poppy popsicles, and crumbled instantly. As it was, Eä felt a shivering coldness numb her from head to foot. Silently, she nodded, and mutely followed as he began to walk down to the town's market.

The place was familiar, although not the bustling heart of the town she remembered. Partly due to the snow, and also because it was not quite lunch hours yet. However, Magus strolled purposefully into the square, Eä in tow. He was obviously nonplused by the fact that the few people who were out stared after them, although Eä did everything to hide her face behind the thick fabric. She looked up once only, when she saw that they were heading into a clothing shop.

_What the...?_ Not even looking behind to make sure she was following, he stepped to the counter and rang the bell. Then, he leaned casually against the wooden top as he waited for the clerk to come out from the back of the store. In moments, an elderly man popped into view, smiling broadly when he saw Magus.

"Ah! I am glad you've come, good sir! Your order has just arrived, and it's in the back. Give me a moment and I'll fetch it for you!" With this, he ducked back out of sight, and Magus briefly glanced at her before staring off into the rest of the shop. She remained quiet, still afraid of Magus' earlier outburst and wondering what on earth she might've said or done that could have gotten him so enraged. She'd only been teasing before- usually he'd just say something snarky in return, then they went about their business. Had she done something earlier?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the brusk reappearance of the salesman. He had two rather large packages bundled neatly in brown paper, their masses giving nothing away. Magus took the smaller of the two and unceremoniously shoved it in Eä's direction. She took it with a start, looking up at him with a slightly confused expression. He pointed to the back of the store where the dressing rooms were. Then, making sure that the man at the counter was still facing her, he made a quick gesture she took to mean 'fix your hair, idiot'.

"Take it and change. Be quick." She nodded, trying to avoid looking at the man behind the counter, as he was giving her sympathetic looks. If Magus continued in the mood he was in, a mis-spoken word between the two of them might cost the shop keeper his head. She went into the small room and opened the package, uncertain as to what it could be. She'd just been given a new set of clothes by Mirielle; was Magus giving her yet another uniform? She didn't relish the idea of having to get out of her fire spell-warmed attire, but she'd rather freeze her fingers off than deal with a Magus hissy-fit. 

Opening the package, she found instead of a set of clothing another cape; finely made, but a rather bland grey green color. She ran a hand down the clothing, and was surprised to feel a slight warmth come from the touch. The material, much like that of the cloak she wore now, had a fire spell woven into the fabric. This surprised her, but then as she began to think of it, it made sense. Mystics did take the form of humans sometimes, so maybe the shop keeper was one of them in disguise? It certainly explained the material's spell, and the fact that the man hadn't screamed his head off when seeing the crest of Magus so boldly prominent on the front of both of their cloaks. However, this was not something she'd ask Magus today, this was something to ask him when there was nothing else to talk about.

Taking off her original cloak, she draped the new (and appropriately tailored) garment around her shoulders. She fastened the newer material with her old pin, and neatly folded the other. Putting the paper on top of this, she hurried out to where the men were waiting. The shop keeper nodded approvingly at her change, about to comment on how wonderful she looked in it, no doubt. Magus, however, spun on his heel and out the door, other package under one arm.

She quickly followed after him, saying a hasty goodbye to the shop keeper before jogging over to Magus. As he strode away, obviously in a rush to get to the mountains for whatever reason, she shifted her new present, enjoying the warmth and the fact that it was her size immensely. However, as she shifted, Magus strode over to her, quickly putting the hood up again. She winced and readied herself for the inevitable lecture she was about to receive for not only forgetting to fix her hair, but in doing so disobeying a direct order. No such thing came, and she was surprised to see him looking at her oddly- the same way he had looked at her the night she'd lumbered into his study and had gotten ready to leave. It was a preoccupied look, one that made him frown as he concentrated, but gave no indication to what it was he was thinking about. Sighing, she tried to ignore the questions this brought up, and decided that for the duration of the rest of their trip, she would count trees or people or something to keep her mind off of asking what was eating at Magus and hence avoid the risk of having him lose his temper.

She figured their hike to the mountains would be silent, and was not disappointed. Magus' temper seemed to recede a bit, although testing her luck by speaking was not something she was willing to do. They broke off from the main road and headed into the sparse underbrush that fell across the path leading into the mountains. Eä was glad that Magus was going ahead of her, as he was the one who did all the path-clearing and snow trampling. The white stuff was everywhere, and got deeper as they began to ascend the cliffs. 

They were halfway up when Magus motioned her to the side of the path, and they rested for several minutes in a clearing hidden from view. Sighing, she took a drink from her water flask, and used her fingers to attempt to massage away the headache that was forming. Despite the fact that she was wearing fire spelled material, she was beginning to feel the cold, and her toes were growing numb with walking. To top it off, she was still tired from her last trip's spell, and hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. Magus should have been happy that she wasn't comatose under her blankets, and she sighed heavily, increasing the pressure on her temples. To her surprise, Magus broke the silence, and he sounded genuinely concerned.

"What are you doing?" She looked up to see him peering down at her, arms crossed, usual scowl back in place. It wasn't the 'I'm going to tear your head off if you make a sound' look he'd been wearing earlier that morning, which she took to be a good sign. Plus, he'd asked her a question, so he was giving her the 'permission' to speak- not that she'd needed it.

"I'm trying to get rid of my headache. It'll go away eventually, I'm fine." He nodded, and silently looked off towards the road again. Using all the courage she had (and taking a bit of the stupidity he always told her she should pride herself on having), she decided that it would be now or never to find out what was on Magus' mind.

"If you're angry with me because of what I said earlier, I'm sorry." He looked down at her, and she allowed herself a small grin of victory when he looked to be sincerely surprised.

"What?" She sighed, fiddling with the hem of her clothes in an attempt to make it look like she was doing _something_ without letting on that she didn't want to look at him in the face.

" About... you know. This morning, when I asked if you wanted help with your pack because you were being a pomp- Ahem. I'm sorry, if that was what upset you enough to look like you wanted to rip my jugular out if I so much as spoke. I thought you would take it in humor, as it was meant to be, but if it offended you, then I am sorry, and ask that you forgive me. You're weirding me out with all this silent treatment and death glares. Also, thank you for the new cloak. It's very nice." He stared at her for several more minutes, and then stood with a bitter laugh.

"It was not you I was angry with."

"But-"

"It was not you, however, as you have admitted you were in the wrong, I shall accept your apology. I'm glad to see that you're finally figuring out your place." Anger began to grow in her as she listened to him, and she glared daggers at his retreating backside.

" Hey! I want to know what's going on, and you're-"

"Annoying me with this useless banter. Hurry up, we're almost there, and I don't want you taking up more time than you already have." Then, as an after thought that he knew would get her riled up, he threw back, "hurry up, wench. You should be honored that I have allowed you to come with me, as you truly are unworthy of my time." He was not expecting anything but spluttering rage and perhaps some choice words for him. He was rather looking forward to hearing her comeback, and strained his ear to hear what she had to say. Thus, he was unprepared for the blow that hit him square in the back. He stood, frozen, then slowly turned to look at his attacker.

Eä, however, sauntered past him, a slight smile on her lips. She boldly walked past him, deciding that sometimes actions really _were_ better than words. She wiped her wet hands on her cloak, then stopped almost one hundred feet in front of him. She didn't hear his footsteps, no curses, nothing. Curious, she peered over her shoulder to look back at him, and was swiftly pelted in the face with a cold slushy mass.

He grinned when she yelped as the snowball hit her full in the face, although he was not distracted enough to be hit with her retaliating missel. _Her aim is horrible_, he thought as a snowball made a 'piffing' noise when it landed in the snow ten feet to the front and right of him. She made an irritated noise and bent down to grab another fistful of snow, but he was already ahead of her. Casting a quick spell, a large mound of snow lifted from it's bank, and quickly floated over in her direction. She got an amusingly terrified look on her face, then it turned back into anger as she struggled to run through the thick snow.

"Hey! That's cheating!!" He smirked as she ducked behind a tree, the massive snowball hurtling itself towards her. She returned her own volley, this time coming much closer to him- he actually had to side step a foot so that neither would hit him. He grinned as her throws all missed him- although as he slowly walked towards her, he had to admit that her aim did get better. 

"Perhaps, Miss Dinn, you should have your eyes examined. I believe you may need some glasses, as you are having difficulty finding your target." She scowled, coming to stand out by her tree, hands on hips.

"I do not need glasses! You're a moving target, and they're hard to hit! Besides, last time I got my eyes checked, the doctor said that it would be a few more years before I needed them... not that I'm admitting I need them! Are you listening to — Ack!!"

She'd fallen for his ruse, completely making herself vulnerable his last attack. She was totally unaware fo the massive pile of snow that hovered several feet above her head until some of it accidently fell onto her shoulder. Looking up, she'd made the 'ack!' sound, and tried to run away from the snow cloud that promised a very wet and very cold future in a matter of seconds. This was when she- or rather, her foot- found the frozen over stream, and she slipped along for several feet until she fell flat on her face, the snow falling onto her like a blanket and covering her entirely. Laughing at the show, Magus strode over to the pile of snow and the girl buried underneath. Bending over, he called out to her.

"If you are quite ready, Miss Dinn, it is time we stop dawdling and continue. Let this be a lesson to you for striking your betters." He began to rise, but a foot from under the snow kicked out blindly, hitting him in the ankle. This set him off balance, and sent him on top of the pile of snow. A furious (although muffled) shout came from within, and two hands popped out from underneath of him, clearing away more of the snow to reveal her face. Coughing, she glared at him, as his face had landed by her shoulder , his armor forcing the breath from her lungs.

"Get off of me, you.. You.. Jerk!" He brought his face up from its place by her neck, and he glared down at her irritably. Blue hair was out of place, snow was caught in his eye lashes, and he was wearing his usual scowl. She would have laughed if she'd had the breath.

"I am not the one responsible for causing my fall, woman." She scowled up at him.

"Don't call me that! All day, it's been 'woman this', 'wench that', and I'm sick of it! You're being a chauvinistic dork, and I really don't like you when you're like that." He smirked at this, having the gall to find this funny.

"I merely call you what you are, my dear lady. I would also think that you would rather like to rethink those last words, as _I_ am the one on top, and perfectly willing to smother you in the snow." She frowned for a minute, wondering what he meant by _that_, then flushed as she realized he had drawn the conclusion that she enjoyed him all other times, and that it was only when he called her 'wench' and 'woman' that she found him irritating. Squirming try to wriggle free from under both snow and the man she didn't really want to talk to anymore, she found herself pinned beneath him. Sighing, she propped herself up on elbows so that she could look him square in the eye.

"How much do you weigh, anyway? I think you've crushed my spleen. Get off of me, or I'll be completely useless to you." Shifting, he gave her the breathing room she needed, but kept his eyes on her as she lay there gasping for a moment.

"Are you able to get up?" She rolled her head over to look at him, and found her looking at her in that weird way again. Nodding, she began to shift the snow off of her stomach, and groaned as she sat up. She winced as her back complained about the abuse it'd received, but she ignored it, stretching and flexing things to make sure they still worked. When she looked up, she found Magus holding out a hand to her. She got to her feet of her own accord, and drew the dinky knife she'd put in her belt. She eyed him warily as he simply stood there, looking as regal as ever despite his mussed hair and wet clothes.

"Alright, I don't know who you are, or what you've done with the real Magus, but all I have to say is that he would be pissed if he found out you were doing such a bad impersonation of him. First of all, Magus does NOT have mood swings- he's constantly scowling, and likes to say irritatingly sarcastic remarks. That's about the only mood he's got. Second, I hope you his the body well, because when Ozzie finds it, he'll probably reanimate it, and Magus is a pain enough living; working for an undead version wouldn't be cool, even if he _does_ have the fangs of a vampire. And thirdly-" 

"Eä, stop your stupid prattling. I can see that your temper did not suffer any ill effects from our collision, but I do wish that you would shut up. There are reasons I was not myself today, but I shall not lower myself to explaining them to you." She refused to budge, hands on hips.

"Oh, I see. I'm good enough to drag out to the middle of nowhere so you can assault me in the snow-"

"I was not the one to start that."

"It doesn't matter! You haven't told me why you brought _me_ here, alone, and unarmed! I'm not very good at anything I do, and you're always telling me how useless I am, so I have a right to wonder why you find it so necessary to bring me up here, or at least tell me why you're acting so strangely!!" He turned from her, walking back towards the path in silence. Angrily, she hurried over to his side and trudged alongside of him.

"I was angry with myself." She turned to him, not expecting him to 'lower himself to explaining himself to her.' He continued on as though he didn't notice her expectant gaze.

"When you stumbled out of my room that night, I wondered how I could be so foolish as to have missed how you could mean so very much to me. Not like _that_, fool," he heard her surprised gasp and smirked. " I mean it in the way that I had you wandering about my castle like a useless idiot, not really paying that much attention to your comings and goings. You were just a stupid human; you had magic, yes, but it seemed the more you used it, the worse you became. I admit, I enjoyed taunting you by pretending to attempt to seduce you-" he smirked at her outraged cry, but continued yet again. "I was not trying to bed you, Miss Dinn. Had I truly wished such a thing, it would not have taken more than a night; with your innocence and obvious lack of knowledge in any matters relating to sex, it would not have been difficult. 

"It was not until two nights ago I finally realized how you had true potential to be useful to me. I wondered how it was that you failed so miserably in everything you did, and how it was in the few things you did well wore you out so entirely. Then, it dawned on me- not that you were completely unskilled in everything you do, I have known this for some time- you had a spell that I could use. You cannot transport, your fire spell would put a human into a fit of laughter, and I shall not bother mentioning your other inadequacies in the matters of magic. But you can cast one spell without any hitch, going to whatever time you choose. And this is what I want you to do." 

He stopped, and Eä realized that they had come to the peak of the mountain. Magus took her by the shoulders, looking down at her with a gaze that burned her with its intensity. 

"I want to return to Zeal. I want to leave this gods-forsaken country, these petty creatures with their foolish ambitions and the pathetic Earthbounders with their stupidity and lack of respect. I wish to return, find my sister and stop that puppet queen from destroying the kingdom. You are the only one who can perform the spell- you might not be good at anything else, but you can perform the one spell that I myself am incapable of and desire the most. Do this for me, and I will grant you your freedom."

She stood, perplexed, not really sure what she should feel. She was torn, because she knew that no matter what she did, things wouldn't work out as he hoped, and he'd blame her for not being able to grant the one thing he truly did wish. Plus, this might be her only chance at getting home- 

"Wait a minute. If you're powerful enough to drag me from my home world and time, aren't you strong enough by yourself to send yourself back? I mean, a spell that would be able to bring me here- willing or not- must have taken a lot of magic in itself." He looked at her and laughed, although she could sense some bitterness behind it.

"It was the spell of time that I cast when I ended up bringing you forth, fool. As you know, the spell did not work as I had hoped, and I ended up being stuck with you. But I knew there had to be a reason that _you_ were chosen- I don't care if you were awake or asleep, there was something about you that brought you here. The fates could not give me the power to control time, but they gave me you. You can. I want you to create a gate. Now." 

"Magus, I can't do it." His gaze grew cold, his grip tighter.

"You will do it. It's an order-"

"I didn't say I didn't _want_ to do it, it's just I don't think I can." He relaxed a bit, although his grip didn't change. She hurried on," I always end up really tired after each spell, and I usually sleep for at least two days straight, remember? I haven't gotten nearly enough time to rest for a regular day, let alone one when I'm recovering from casting the spell. Plus, I've never traveled with another person before. For all I know, the spell could go screwy, and we'd end up who knows where! You've got to think about the dangers before you go about ordering me to cast the spell!" His eyes hardened again.

"I do not care about the risks. I am willing to do whatever is necessary to return to the time in which I belong." She sighed, feeling her headache return.

"Magus, I know _you're_ willing to risk getting sucked into another time- heck, we might end up back at my home- but I don't know if I'm willing to risk both of our lives for something I don't think is a good idea-" She shut up when she was lifted off the ground, and, feet dangling, brought face to face with the once again very upset warlock.

"You will cast the spell. Now." She nodded, wide eyed with fear and ready at this point to do anything to get away from him. Grunting something that sounded like 'get to it', he dropped her and backed up several feet to give her space for her spell. She shut her eyes, beseeching whatever force had brought her there to help her get the spell right. Opening them again, she began the spell.

___A fa lagaedra tionne descra,_

_So tavi desorta m'niatati tevra faux._

___Teslazae min'escadonn, Sotalvi Mescri_

Around them, magic crackled in the air. Eä already knew that this was a bad idea, but ignored the sinking feeling in her stomach, pushing on with the spell.

_Dorrun__é __tambellondor nes_

_S'isca vantellara diorrun__é___

____

She began to tremble, the magic and concentration needed for the spell threatening to make her black out, which could very well spell the end for both of them. Gritting her teeth, she spat out the last of the spell.

  


_Balconna vi tionn__é __descra!!_

___So tavhesdra Yrchlaven!!_

  


Magus was at her side, catching her as the gate yawned open, a gaping maw ready to devour them as soon as they came close. He didn't wait to wake her to ask if the spell was done, he simply grabbed her and swung her up to cradle her against his chest. Then, taking a deep breath, he walked forward with his head held high, and stepped though the gate. There was a loud hiss, and the gate closed behind them, closing off their one chance to return to 600 AD.__

_Wohoo! Another chapter, done! That's it for a while though, sorry guys... I'm afraid school is starting up in a few days. *sighs* Ah well. Just be happy that I got this out so quickly, as I had thought I'd be working on a different fic first, but then this one won out... Be happy. ^_^_

_Please leave a review, as I feel like there aren't that many people reading this fic, and it helps to know that people actually DO care that it's being updated..._

_I'm sorry to those who lost faith in me before, I don't know what I can do to make it up to you except promise that I WILL finish this story- even if I'm married with six kids before the end of it. So, um... please review? Please? *puppy dog eyes*_

  


_Alrighty then, it's 4 AM, and I'm going to bed ^_^ Night all!_

  



	27. Threads of FATE only twist into a noose

_looks at readers in nonchalance What? I told you I'd update when could. I know it's been two years... shrugs I've been busy._

_I've combined what was supposed to be four chapters into one, making this a super-long chapter at a whopping 44 pages, 27,415 words. It was written in fragments; I've sliced and diced this thing so many times to try to speed up the story's conclusion, and I've gotten it down the bare bones now. So, no meaningless side quests, no gratuitous filler. Random note- Eä's no longer a vegetarian, due to a sidequest involving chickens and other evil fowl. ;;_

_Everything I've got in here is for character and story development. That being said, I want to impress upon you all again that THE RATING HAS BEEN UPPED TO 'R" FOR CONTENT IN THIS CHAPTER. Consider yourself warned._

_On a lighter note, if you're interested in seeing my art, go to (www.) SirLadySketch. I've got work posted there, and in my scraps section is a sketch of Eä. ( _

_In my favs section, there's an awesome drawing of Eä done by KamikazeJL- go check it out!_

_Shutting up now, please enjoy this chapter. All I can say is beware of intense storylines falling from nowhere, a (marked) scene of violence, implied rape, sex and all that fun stuff- well, not really for Eä, it sucks to be her in this chapter. Enjoy, and let me know how much you hate me now. :p_

_SLS 25-11-05_

* * *

**Chapter 28**

She should've been tipped off at the very first that the spell wouldn't work- or rather, Magus should have been. She knew from the start that testing her rather dinky powers was a bad idea, but nooooooo, he didn't believe her until they'd popped into thin air and tumbled down the mountainside together. It had taken her three days to wake up, and he hadn't looked happy when she said that she thought they were in 65,000,000 BC. "It figures you'd do something like this. You're just trying to get away with denying me my passage home! I demand you cast the spell at once, and get it right! I'll deal with any time paradoxes I create when they come up!"

She'd scowled right back at him, telling him that it wasn't as easy as that, and that they'd be better off finding someplace where she could replenish her magic levels before attempting to cast the spell again. Though rather miffed, the mystic lord backed off and allowed her to lead in the way she figured the village had to be. She'd pep-talked her way through the rugged countryside, and tried to keep the mood cheery despite the ominous waves that were emanating from the warlock trailing behind her.

"Ok, so, if we walk this way, we'll hit the forest, then we skirt around it and head north. We'll come to the southern end of the village, and in the hut to the right, we'll get the sweet water, which'll replenish HP and MP, and then we can come back to the mountain and try casting the spell again, or we could go further to the north and try the nesting grounds, 'cause they're higher and we could see the Lavos star, maybe..."

She'd stopped at that, freezing as she realized she'd just said one of those words she filed under "best not to mention in Magus' presence" in front of a very pissed off wizard, and slowly turned to face him. Magus had developed this funny eye twitch, and was absently fingering the edge of his blade with an odd gleam in his eye. She gave a nervous laugh at the sight, turned on her heels, and promptly shut up, starting off at a brisk pace.

When she gotten up the courage to take a peek behind her later on, he looked somewhat happier. That is, his eye had stopped twitching and his usual scowl was in place. She came to the conclusion that not only was Magus not a people person, he didn't like conversation either, even if she was having it with herself. She made a silent vow not to try to push him over the edge until they were safely back in a time where he felt more at ease. Namely, back in 595 AD, or in 12,000 BC (or thereabouts).

To make a long (and rather tensely silent) journey short, they'd reached the small settlement after getting lost only twice and losing Eä's pack (they'd run into some thieving Reptites who had been more than happy to relieve her of her supplies). After dragging Magus around the small village to search every hut they came across, they finally found the one where a woman offered them 'sweet water'. Magus declined the drink, saying 'they were living in conditions so squalid, even Ozzie would feel dirty and thus he would not partake any meals or drinks offered.' Eä merely shrugged and chugged the water, finding it slightly reminiscent of flat Sprite or soda water. She thanked the woman, and they trudged off towards the mountaintop Nesting grounds.

At least, they started to, but Eä had been the one leading the way, and she'd gotten them lost... again. Ten times. Magus, already in a foul enough mood to toss her in the magma pits they were looking down into, promptly spun on his heels and took command of the trip. Two days later, they were back on the top of the mountain they'd tumbled down, and Eä again cast the spell.

The second time she awoke, the sun was brightly shining, the birds were singing, and the air was clean. She thought maybe for a moment that she'd succeeded in either going to Zeal or at least getting back to the middle ages, but then the sun was blocked out by a scowling Magus, and she guessed not.

"This isn't Zeal," Magus growled, confirming her suspicions. He was really starting to look somewhat bedraggled, but that might have been because they'd landed in a patch of brambles after they'd tumbled out of the second gate. She thought about maybe making a crack about how he'd fit right in with the people back in 65,000,000 BC, but then thought better of it, instead looking around them. While it might be fun to provoke him just to see his reaction, Magus was still her only chance of survival wherever they ended up (damn him for not letting her take her own weapons!).

If she angered him to the extreme, he might decide to have her cast the gate and then leave her behind. And, while the rational side of her knew that he wouldn't risk something that could make him wind up in even more trouble, the stubborn side of her said that he would be tempted to hog tie and gag her after they'd walked through the gate, and then she'd regret taunting him while she was jostled over his shoulder. As she had been slung over his shoulder once or twice in the past, she knew how much fun that would be for both parties involved, and promptly bit her tongue. She'd even pretend that Magus didn't have twigs sticking out of his hair, and instead looked around the surrounding area.

It wasn't Zeal, alright. For one thing, the air was heavy with humidity. Zeal's air was thin and crisp, like breathing on an autumn morning at the top of a really, really, really high mountain. Here, the trees were tall and dark, different from Zeal's elegant and wispy vegetation. Then, there was the blue pyramid hunkered down in front of them. The only pyramid in Zeal was the sun palace, but this pyramid looked like it had been here a while. However, Eä brightened at the prospect of what it might mean.

"I think I know where we are though." Magus made a sound of disgust, fiddling with his gloves.

"You _think_ you know? For gods' sakes, you cast the spell, don't you have any control over it? What the hell kind of magician are you if you can't figure out how your own spells work? Why the hell did I follow you into those gates? I must be a glutton for punishment..." He grumbled as he strode towards the pyramid, raising his hand to touch it. Placing the tips of his fingers on the clear blue surface, he leaned in to peer into the darkened interior. He frowned, then turned back to face Eä, who walked over to join him.

"What purpose does this structure have? It seems to share vaguely familiar magical components to the one in Zeal where the sunstone was housed... but that must have been destroyed long ago. I take it, by that expression on your face, that you know why it's here in the middle of nowhere." She nodded, then paused, and shook her head. At the look he gave her, she laughed a little, scratching the back of her head in embarrassment.

"I know it's out here so that when someone bearing an amulet with an activated seal of Zeal, the barrier will open and they can talk to the Nu inside to pick a treasure box. I can't for the life of me remember what he's protecting though- I'd played the game so many times with the 'new game plus' that I had better equipment starting off than with what was in the box... Um, don't look at me like that. We've gone over this before, remember? I'm not crazy, I'm just from another planet or dimension or... something."

Magus continued to stare down at her blankly, blinked a few times, then shook his head, moving down the path. She trotted to his side to match his stride, then scowled up at him as she thought she caught a glimpse of a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"It's true! Don't give me that look, whatever it is. And stop laughing, dammit!" Magus let out a snort that she interpreted as a chuckle, then grew serious again as a town came into view.

"I ask you again, woman, where are we? Is there a need for us to disguise ourselves, or will we be able to blend in as we are?" Eä gave a snort (not realizing how much she sounded and looked like Magus at that moment), and crossed her arms, looking out at the town before them.

"As you are, you wouldn't be able to blend in anywhere. Women would run into walls because they'd be too busy staring at you, no matter what time we're in. And don't take that as a compliment, you egotistical prick, I'm merely pointing out a fact. There aren't many tall, pale skinned and blue haired guys in this era, so you'll be sure to turn heads, wherever we go.

"As for the time we're in, I think we're in 1000 AD, or thereabouts. Oh, and we're on an island inhabited by mystics who hate humans as of right now. Unless the gang has already defeated you and Ozzie. Then they'll greet us with open arms. But if the gang has only defeated you, then they'll throw stuff at us when we tell them what an incompetent moron the real Ozzie is. Our most likely scenario, however, is that no one's been conquered yet, they'll go after me with a club. But you don't have to worry- if this is at a point where you haven't been defeated yet, they're still worshiping you in the town square. They've got a statue of you and everything, and there's this chant going on in the background. I got really upset when they replaced your stature with one of Ozzie. Who wants to worship that moron? Anyway- hey, why're you looking at me like that again? Your eye is twitching too, did you know that? C'mon, we can bust our way through this town and head to the civilized section of the world. Maybe we can meet Crono and Lucca too! That'd be coo-"

Her monologue was cut short, however, when Magus snapped and lost control. In mid-sentence, she suddenly realized her voice had given out for reasons unknown. Or rather, for a reason she knew all too well. Glaring back at Magus, she saw him lower his hands from the silence spell. He merely smirked.

"At last, reality is played out. Your lips move, but nothing of importance comes out." She gave him a death glare, fumbling around in empty pockets for something to revive her voice. Finding nothing, she gave a silent sigh, then shot one last pouting glare in Magus' direction while trying to decide if throwing a rude gesture into the mix would make her feel better. He smirked, then pointed towards the village, ignoring her look of irritation.

"We're going in there to replace the supplies you lost and get you some clothes so that you cease to look like some street woman. Then, we're going to go visit this statue you spoke of... It will be nice to be surrounded by those who appreciate me once again. After we're done here, we will rest and decide a course of action." He wandered off, and she followed close at his heels, sulking. Of course he'd cast a silence spell, knowing full well she didn't have anything to lift it since her pack was destroyed by the stupid reptites...

However, Eä got the last laugh (albeit a silent one). When Magus attempted to convince the mystics of the town that he was in fact THE Magus, they attacked him and attempted chasing him out, shouting that he was nothing more than a no good human that had a shoddy dye job and bad fake ears, and how dare he try to disrupt the peace that was blooming between the two races!

Of course, Magus responded to this by zapping those who argued most loudly, but this action, instead of proving he was who he said he was, simply angered the mystics more. They were about to take him on en masse when the silence spell wore off. Eä "encouraged" Magus to turn tail and run by stating that she was going to cast the gate spell without him if he didn't get a move on it, and then promptly took off in the direction of Belthasar's house. Magus (not running away at all, just leaving to teach Eä a lesson before wailing on those pathetic mystics) sprinted after her, and they took off with the mystic's howls of rage behind them.

When they reached the cave, they doubled over, pausing for breath at the entrance. Eä grinned at Magus' slightly panic-stricken expression as he took deep gulps of air to replace the oxygen he'd lost from their mad dash for their lives, but, again, wisely didn't comment on it, as he was back to fingering his scythe's blade. Instead, she led him towards the back of the cave, where, due to lax security, they were able to get to the whirlpool without incident.

They spent ten minutes there, arguing over whether or not it was safe to jump into a roiling pool of water when they didn't know if they'd be able to hold their breath long enough. Eä decide to end the 'discussion' by diving into the water and leaving Magus to follow if he wanted to get home. He sulkily joined her on shore a few moments after she'd dragged herself up onto the land.

After resting and drying off, Eä led the way towards Truce (after many objections on Magus' part).

"Look, I know you know Truce since it exists back in 595, but you don't know where the shops are, and to be quite blunt, you stick out like a sore thumb in human society. At least I look semi-normal; with your ears and those teeth, people will think you're a mystic/human hybrid experiment gone totally wrong... Why're you looking at me like that? It was a joke, a jok- ack! Hey, that hurt!" She rubbed her head where he'd bopped her, scowling up at him.

The two trudged towards town, encountering few people along the way. Those whom they did pass stared after them, and some of the women in said parties paid far too much attention as they watched Magus saunter past. It only worsened as they got closer to town, and Eä glowered at every woman who attempted to stop Magus by accidentally-on-purpose tripping and throwing themselves at him. Magus, for his part, seemed to enjoy the attention, smirking every time Eä threw a dirty look at someone. His smile widened when, after the fourth 'accidental' mishap, Eä shoved the other woman off of him, grabbed his arm, and pulled him away from the scene.

When they stopped for another rest, Magus said nothing of her actions, though he watched her out of the corner of his eye. When she noticed this, she stuck out her tongue at him, and stalked off to go buy the supplies Magus wanted so badly. He smirked as he watched her depart, then raised a hand, signaling for a beer from the barkeep.

Eä glared down at the assorted collection of remedies and other things that would come in handy while their 'vacation from Hell' continued. She was wondering why the heck she even bothered saving him from the evil clutches of possessive women when a female voice snapped her out of her murderous thoughts.

"Eä? Eä Dinn?"

Startled by someone calling her, Eä almost dropped the bottle of tonic she'd been about to buy, spinning on the balls of her feet to look behind her. She was instantly on her guard, scanning the area for anyone who might know her. Then, she mentally gave herself a head slap. If there was someone here in 1000 AD (or whatever time it was), that meant that she'd been there before, and thus someone she'd met recognized her. Or rather, she'd MEET, as she hadn't really met anyone from this time yet. Unless...

She relaxed when she saw a familiar girl standing a few feet behind her, overalls covered in grease, purple hair up in a ponytail. Over her shoulder, Eä could see miscellaneous metallic pieces sticking out of Lucca's pack where the ties had given out. Lucca seemed a little older than in the game, so Eä guessed that it wasn't 1000 AD, but a few years later. Which meant that Lavos had been defeated, and the world was safe. Which meant that she knew Magus, but he wasn't supposed to meet her for another few years. Meaning she'd have to think up something to tell him that wouldn't get him suspicious about where she'd been. Meaning she'd have to let Lucca know right away not to be seen by Magus, and hope that they hadn't killed him when they'd been given the chance.

"Lucca, I know this might seem a little funny, but what year is it?"

The self-proclaimed genius didn't even bat an eye. Instead, she gave the other girl a brilliant smile and tossed her backpack onto the ground, then walked over to give her a tight hug.

"It's 1005, and it's nice to see you again- although, have we really met yet, or do you just recognize me from your other lifetime right now? If we've met before, you're going to have to tell me your secret- you look years younger!" Eä broke into a smile of her own, and returned the hug- she guessed that she'd become good friends with the scientist, which was alright by her, because she'd always liked Lucca. She rapidly told the purple-haired inventor what was going on, and how she'd give her right foot to get back and away from the 'vacation from hell'. Lucca laughed as Eä recalled their adventures, patting her on the knee.

"Don't worry! Just leave it to Lucca the Great! I'll help you get back, no problem! We'll have to be careful, though. If Magus sees me now, there might be issues later on- for you, that is. We've already met and I put aside my issues with him. Did you know," she said with a laugh and a gleam in her eye," I was one of the three people who beat him up when he tried to summon Lavos? Wouldn't that be interesting, being nice to him now and then beating him up later on? Hehehe, that could be amusing..."

Eä laughed, having had similar thoughts and trying to imagine Magus' confused look as Lucca helped ruin his summoning. They obviously shared similar thoughts of deviousness, which brought a brighter smile to her face. Lucca had always been one of her favorite characters in the game, and when she'd have a chance, it would be good to spend some time talking to her. The mad genius laughed again, batting at some stray bangs.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. I'll go home and scrounge up a gate key for you, then bring it back here. You'll have to go to the gate near the castle though- after the teleport pods were moved, the other gate closed up. You might have to do some more gate hopping... but I'm sure you two will get by! You have to, or the whole time-continuum would be out of whack. You know," the purple haired girl remarked as she picked up her things, "it's kinda funny to see you my age. I mean, I knew that you spent a fair amount of time here, but when you two usually come here, you're older than the rest of us." She paused, thinking, then brightened considerably.

"I bet Magus is cute!" She threw a wink over her shoulder, then waved a hand. "I'll drop it off at the inn for you, ok? That way I don't have to worry about being seen by Magus. Don't worry- we'll see each other again!"

Eä waved back, then stopped, frowning. Something clicked, and she shouted out to the retreating girl.

"Wait a minute! What do you mean, 'when you two usually come here'? Am I really going to be stuck with him that long?" To this, the purple haired girl merely waved again, and Eä scowled as she knew that the inventor was probably laughing it up at her expense. She finished making her purchases, mulling over what the future might hold in store for her, then trudged back towards the tavern. When she spotted him, he was off in the deepest, darkest shadowed corner of the room. Magus was nursing a beer, sulkily waiting for her. The other patrons, sensing Death in all its various forms, had taken the silent hint and were pointedly ignoring the shadowed area of the room, not even sneaking a peek of curiosity as Eä wandered over towards the table.

Magus looked up as she came over and scowled, the frown deepening when she sat down beside him, took the beer from him, and took a sip. She winced at the bitter taste of the draft, but continued to hold onto the mug anyway. Magus glared at her, but raised his hand, motioning for another drink. As it was placed in front of him, he turned his scowl from Eä to the barmaid who hovered above them. The girl blanched, left the beer pitcher and made a hasty retreat.

"I made reservations for lodgings while you were off gallivanting. How long does it take to buy a few elixirs and potions? You were gone for hours! We'll have to stay here the night," he said, more to himself than to her, "which means another day away from Zeal, or at the very least from the castle. I'm sure Ozzie has very nearly destroyed the place by now."

"I didn't think you cared about what happened there," she said, genuinely surprised. If she could get them back to 595 instead of dealing with Zeal, so much the better for her. However, Magus didn't seem to like her chain of thoughts. He glared at her, taking a gulp of his beer, then set down the mug, glaring into it.

"I don't, really. But if you fail to take me to Zeal, I want to at least have a home to return to. If I return and find Ozzie has destroyed it... There'll be Hell to pay. But I won't care when I see Zeal again. I hope you were able to figure out how you're getting us there while you were dawdling, because I don't want to see you fail a third time." She laughed at this, deciding it might be more prudent to drink the stolen brew than to answer. Eventually, Magus went back to his brooding silence, leaving Eä free to think over her brief conversation with Lucca.

She was glad to know that they would meet again. Although she had nothing personal against Marle or Ayla, Lucca had been the only female character she had enjoyed using in the game. To get to know her better would be an interesting experience to look forward to, and the fact that Lucca had 'put things aside' with Magus made her oddly relieved. She couldn't quite place her finger on it, but the fact that Lucca had seemed indifferent towards Magus made her happy. She pondered this for a few moments, wondering what it might mean, and chanced a glimpse at Magus.

He was leaning on his hand and staring out over the crowded bar room, an unreadable expression on his face. He looked calm and collected, still watchful but not paranoically so. She continued to watch him covertly, trying to figure out why she was obsessing over that one phrase Lucca had spoken. She took a swig of the bitter draft, mulling over what it all could mean. When she realized what she was staring unabashedly at him, she flushed, looking down again. Then, two and two came together, and she promptly choked on her drink.

Magus, startled out of his angsty brooding, turned to look at her. As she continued to cough, he raised an eyebrow.

"Something the matter?" She shook her head, wiping at her eyes, hoping that he would take her word and leave it alone. However, he leaned in, peering at her closely.

"Are you sure? You're red in the face." She continued to signal she was fine as she finished clearing her lungs, then gave him a distracted smile. How could she have been so stupid? Was she really that dense? And what would Magus say if he knew what she was thinking?

He gave her another look, drained his cup, then slipped out of his seat to come to her side. He hauled her up- none too gently, she thought- and he dragged her, protesting, towards the stairs. She struggled against him, beginning to get irritated.

"What are you doing?" she huffed angrily, "I don't remember you giving me a curfew, and I was behaving myself, so there's no reason to drag me upstairs like an unruly child." He released his grip a little, but continued to guide her forward, towards the sleeping quarters. As they came to one of the back rooms, he stopped her and took out a key to unlock the door. He glanced inside, behind them, then ushered her in. He closed the door, locked it, and went over to one of the beds on the far side of the room, pulling out his scythe to prop it against the wall. He gestured for her to choose one of the other beds, and finally answered her question.

"We're leaving first thing in the morning, and I don't want you suffering from a hangover when you're casting the spell. With you having difficulty figuring out how to drink, I'd gathered you'd had enough, so we're going to retire for the night. Now, be quiet and get some sleep." She stormed over to him angrily, hands on hips.

"I'm NOT drunk! It just went down the wrong way, that's all. I only had a little bit, and I'm completely sober, although with you in such a bright and cheery mood, I'm beginning to think that's a bad thing. I don't care about leaving the downstairs, but next time tell me what you're doing instead of dragging me up the stairs like some two-bit hooker!" She glared at him, her face flushed, and he returned her gaze, somewhat irked.

"Miss Dinn, in case you have forgotten, it is your fault that we are forced to spend the night in this place, so don't complain about being 'dragged' about. I am tired, even if you are not, and I do not wish to fight tonight. Go to bed." She stared at him in disbelief, but he simply turned away from her, and she took the obvious dismissal without further comment. She walked over to the bed farthest from his, hurt, and turned away so she wouldn't be staring at his back.

Drunk indeed! She nestled her head deeper into the pillow, glaring into the fabric. She'd choked because she'd realized why she'd been so relieved at Lucca's dismissal of Magus. If she had known he would act like this, however, she would have chided herself before the reaction had kicked in. She closed her eyes, willing herself to go to sleep, trying not to think of how she had been jealous of Lucca's apparent closeness to Magus. Inevitably, however, she was up late into the night, brooding over her stupid emotions, and cursed herself for falling for such idiotic men.

Morning came far too early for them both, but Magus, true to his word, woke her at dawn and barked at her to hurry and get ready to go. After a quick breakfast, Eä went to the counter to retrieve the parcel that had been left for her late the evening before. It was wrapped in a note, which she quickly read while Magus was busy checking on their supplies.

_Dear Eä,_

_Hope your trip doesn't hold too many more surprises for you- I know how irritating Magus can get when he doesn't think things aren't happening fast enough. Hang in there, and persevere! It'll be worth it in the end, promise!_

_And don't let him haul you all over the place like that! I was watching you two last night, and you let him be far too bossy for his own good. And I WAS right, he was pretty cute when he was younger. . _

_Anyway, here's the key, as promised. Just hold it out towards the gate, then press the button. You might have to do it a few times, it's been acting up lately. I'd let you borrow Epoch, of course, but paradoxes and whatnot... Well, you understand. _

_Take care, and look forward to seeing you again soon!_

_Lucca "the great" Ashtear_

Somewhat mollified by this, Eä folded the note and slipped the key into her pack. In the time she had spent reading the note, Magus had gotten everything packed, the bill paid, several patrons of the bar scared witless by his glaring, and was waiting outside for her, glowering at those who dared give him a second glance. He frowned as she smiled up at him, and followed her silently as she led the way north of town. When they had cleared the last few buildings, however, he stopped, standing in front of her to bar the way.

"Now that we're away from prying eyes and open ears, do you mind telling me what you're so damn cheerful about? You'd better have figured out what to do to fix your spell, or you won't be smiling much longer." To this she merely smiled, deciding to humor him.

"Well, we still have a few more time hops to do, but I'm pretty sure it won't be too long now. Before, I was randomly choosing spots to open gates. But," she added hastily, seeing that odd eye twitch beginning again, "it didn't seem to matter when it was just me-I think two people overloaded the spell or something. So we're just going to head to a gate 'hot spot', so to speak, to see if that will keep things a little more stable. I'm guessing about two more hops, and we should be able to meet up with your dear mother again."

She stopped, things clicking together.

"Crap! Last time I saw her, I kind of told her off... I don't think she'll welcome me back with open arms. And if I bring company she'll have an even bigger problem... Hmm... Well, we'll deal with that when we get there. Shall we?" Magus nodded, and she set off at a brisk pace, hoisting her new pack of supplies higher. As he continued at his leisurely pace a few yards behind her, she smiled back at him.

"Oh, and since we're getting through all the unpleasantness now, I should let you know that we're going to be walking towards the castle to get to our next destination. Please try not to kill anyone on the way, ok? Ok, good. Onward!" And with that, she picked up the pace again, trying to block out the sputtering angry noises Magus was making from behind her. His muttering increased as they drew closer to the castle, throwing it angry glares and grumbling about how he'd destroy the damn thing as soon as they got back for being so smug looking and unchanged after all these years. Eä decided he was just trying to vent his anger by blaming inanimate objects for his grumpiness. Still, better the castle than her.

They reached the gate with little ado, however, and Eä had a harder time convincing Magus that she was casting the spell and not just waving a stick around in the air. Lucca was right- the gate remained stubbornly closed, and Magus grew continually irritated. In fact, it only began to respond when she began chanting the spell again, the gate appearing as a tiny fleck of light that grew brighter with every sentence. She frowned at it, peeved that she'd still have to put so much energy into making the gate when the key was supposed to do all the work. So long as it got them to the future, though, she could deal with sleeping in again. After a few choice words thrown into the mix and Magus grew increasingly agitated, the gate purred open, and Eä stumbled through, leaving Magus to dash in as the portal closed.

She awoke to find the sky overcast, the air filthy, and the ground littered with rubble. But, it seemed to be the future, so they'd landed in the place she'd been trying for. And this time, she was the first to awaken. Progress!

She attempted to sit up, and nixed the 'progress' part in her thoughts. Apparently, they'd landed on some machinery, and from the feel of it, they'd landed hard. She winced as the finished the process of pulling herself up, and gently massaged the bruises and cuts through what remained of her clothes. The fall had made them take on a 'camouflaged mesh' look, when you took into account the blood, dirt, grease and goodness knew what else that was smeared all over her hands and probably her face too. She paused, frowning as she took in the surrounding area.

Definitely post-apocalypse. Definitely not 600 AD or 12000 BC, meaning Magus would definitely have a serious hissy fit, despite her assurances that it would only take two more hops or so. She winced at the thought, as though expecting the hear that grating voice cut through the cold silence of the area to once again tell her she was an idiot that should have been fed to the gargoyle on the roof of the castle long ago. She waited several moments, in fact, anticipating Magus's snarky remarks as he pulled himself up and told her to get off of her butt and make him a fire or cook him dinner or some other stupid task that he'd probably regret after issuing it when he saw the results. Nothing came.

She forced herself up all the way and eyed the wreckage of what must have once been a beautiful chamber, but was now no more than a wall with faded images for decorations, and a very nice view of the streets-turned-dumping-grounds thanks to a huge hole in one of the walls. She looked around again, surprised that this room seemed so much cleaner than the outside- if debris piled to the sides of the room counted as being clean. And, she noticed for the first time that she was resting in a sort of nest created by Magus' pack and what remained of her cloak rested over her like a blanket. While it wasn't the most comfortable selection of bedding she'd ever rested on, it beat the machinery, and with there being only one pack left, it probably meant that Magus had slept on the equivalent of rocks while she snoozed. She looked up again, trying to figure out if he'd found somewhere somewhat comfortable to rest against, and that was when she spotted him.

He was laying on his side, half curled against the remains of a wall, cloak partially covering his body. She felt her breath catch in her throat, but then slowly released it when she saw that he was in fact breathing, and mostly likely still asleep. She padded her way over to him, trying to avoid the glass that littered the ground and patches that looked unstable. She winced with the noise she made as she came to his side, but he didn't stir as she knelt beside him, and she watched him for several moments. The steady rise and fall of his chest made her relax- if he was badly hurt, he would have difficulty breathing while he slept.

She sat back on her heels, biting her lip as she stared down at him. She should probably wake him and let him know that she was awake and that she'd try the spell again... But he looked exhausted, dark circles under his eyes stark against his paler than normal skin. Bruises mottled his forearms, and there seemed to be blood staining areas of his cloak, though she couldn't tell where it had come from without disturbing him, nor could she remember where he had gotten wounds sever enough to show that much blood loss. Besides that, he didn't have the peaceful look that one usually wore when sleeping; he looked like he'd fallen asleep by passing out from pure exhaustion. She frowned, leaning in to look at him with more scrutiny. He had probably overused his magic when they'd landed here- knowing him he'd probably blasted everything that moved-friendly or not- within a mile radius of the decrepit building they were staying in.

Eä was torn. She wanted to prod him awake and tease him for his mothering skills when it came to taking care of her while at the same time thanking him for taking such pains to make sure she was alright while she slept. Then, she wanted to nag at him for not taking care of himself, and yell at him for making her take him on this mad adventure to begin with. Then she'd go on to tell him that she told him so and that he should be happy he wasn't stuck in a different dimension or something. He shifted slightly, scowl forming on his face as his lips moved. She knelt closer to catch the soft words he breathed out.

"...stupid woman..."

She applauded herself for her self control in resisting the urge to jump up to kick him in the ribs.

Instead, she retreated to her own section of the room and sat glaring at him, willing him to wake up and add more to that comment so she could smack him for being an arrogant jerk. Her violent thoughts were disturbed by the rumbling of her stomach, and she wondered if there was anything salvageable in the packs that hadn't gotten squished during her nap. She rifled through the contents, finding little to make anything halfway decent. If only they had ramen in the middle ages or "present day", she could have stocked up!

He fingers froze from their fumbling in bottom of her own pack. Lying amidst the broken shards of what used to be the four heal potions and ethers she'd bought was the gate key. Or rather, gate key pieces, as it was snapped into three neat pieces, and quite destroyed beyond repair. She had no idea of how the thing went together, and even if she had, she didn't have any duct tape or wire to make it stick together. Maybe she just wouldn't tell Magus about that part... Deciding to deal with the problem as it arose, mostly because her stomach gave another gurgling growl, she went back to the packs to look for food. As it was, broth and a mixture of things that might have been strips of jerky at one point were soon boiling over a small fire, the smell, while not wonderful, causing her stomach to growl even louder.

She nearly yelped when Magus leapt up and jumped to crouch in front of her, a dagger drawn from his boot. She blinked several times, trying to figure out how he'd gotten across the room so quickly. Magus, for his part, was still looking from side to side, shifting slightly. His voice, still hoarse from sleep, shook her from her thoughts.

"What was that noise? Are we under attack again?" She flushed, though she didn't know whether or not it was from embarrassment or anger.

"Umm...no. It was-"

"And what in Gods' names are you cooking? It smells like you're boiling boots! This isn't another one of your cooking experiments, is it?" She decided the flush was from anger, and whacked him in the arm with the small mess kit spoon.

"Not a word about my cooking- I work with what I've got, unless you want me to run off into the streets and find a rat or something to cook. It's water from the canteen, spices from one of your random little "just add water" pouches, and what I think was beef jerky. Unless you've taken to carrying strips of leather in your bag, then that's what's boiling, although if it is leather, I don't want to know why you've got it stowed in your bag. Anyway, it's as ready as it's ever going to be, I guess. Are you hungry?"

He rubbed at the spot she'd hit with one hand while eyeing the boiling mixture in the pot. Finally, he sighed and nodded, sheathing his knife and standing to stretch out the kinks he'd gotten in his sleep. Wearily, he walked back to where he'd been sleeping and sat back down, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Eä watched him, concern growing as he continued to massage his temple. She ladled out a cup of soup for him and brought it to him, holding it out.

"Magus... Are you okay?" He took the cup with a scowl, giving her a "yes, leave me alone, wench" glare. The look only intensified after the first sip of soup, but he stoically sipped more down, remaining silent. She once again resisted the urge to kick some sense into him and walked over to 'her' side of the room, pulling out a cup for herself and taking a hearty gulp.

Several coughing hacks later, she gave Magus a tear-filled look.

"Why didn't you tell me I used the super-spicy jerky? I think my brain is leaking out of my nose!" she cried, wiping at the offending appendage. Magus allowed himself a small smirk, pouring himself a bit more of the noxious concoction.

"I wasn't aware that you had an aversion to spicy foods. Although, had I known, I still would not have told you, because your expression was rather amusing just a moment ago." She stuck her tongue out at him, then used a scrap of her cloak as a hankie, trying to stop her nose from leaking out all the fluids in her body. She looked up again to see Magus once again rubbing his head, eyes closed. He looked up, usual scowl back in place, as she came to a stop above him with hands on hips.

"I'm not in the mood to deal with you now, woman. Go back to sleep." Instead, she squatted down in front of him, staring him straight in the eye.

"Alright," she said, irritated herself," either you did something to me while I was asleep and you're having a guilt trip about it now that I'm awake, or you hit your head when we came here and it's still bothering you." He sighed, this time in an almost resigned manner.

"Haven't you heard the expression 'if you don't have anything important to say, don't open your mouth'? Your ceaseless babbling is getting on my nerves, Eä. Either speak plainly or shut up." She shook her head in disbelief, getting up to pace about in frustration.

"You've been bugging me to cast the spell to take you home for, what, over a week now?-"

"In which endeavor you've failed miserably," Magus pointed out.

"But that's just it! Why aren't you bugging me about it now? Why are you just insulting my cooking instead of calling me 'useless wench' and 'pathetic female idiot' like usual? Why aren't you bugging me about getting up off my 'useless bum' and casting the spell?" Magus' mouth twitched into an almost-smile, but he controlled it.

"You enjoy being insulted? Then I shall be sure to do so more frequently in the future." She crossed her arms, staring down again.

"Stop avoiding the question, Magus!" she shouted, concern once again welling up inside of her. Magus usually gave her a straight answer accompanied by an insult. Whenever he tried to evade a subject, she knew something was up. She leaned in again, looking him over critically.

"You're pale and shakey, you look like death on a makeup trip with a bad dye job, and to top it off, you're acting more withdrawn then normal. Were you hurt? Did something attack us while I was asleep? Have you been skipping meals or staying up for no reason? For god's sake, Magus, tell me what's going on! You were overly-moody before this 'Trip From Hell' got underway, and now you're acting like you've got the emotional range of a rock. If I wasn't sure that you were male, I'd think you were having PMS mood swings or something!" He raised an eyebrow, and she blushed slightly, sitting back again. He smirked, putting the empty cup down, obviously enjoying her squirm. She fidgeted a little before continuing.

"Well, ok, maybe you weren't that bad, but I'm worried about you! And, before you say some snarky comeback, remember that I'm the one that's going to get us out of here, so choose your words carefully." He looked at her for several moments, and the silence stretched to the point that she was afraid he wasn't going to answer. In fact, she was drawing breath to tell him off when he finally spoke.

"I have a few minor injuries- nothing that won't heal in a few days, so don't get worked up. When we first arrived in this place, several possessed suits of armor came out and attacked us as we entered these ruins. I was able to repel their attacks and push them back, but was forced to retreat because I knew you wouldn't stir for some time. I found this location and fortified it, and cleared the rubble somewhat so that it would be as comfortable as it could possibly get. The suits returned several times, but each time I was able to drive them back. However, in doing this, I drained my reserves. I simply need to sleep to restore some of my energy. Gods know where you'll land us next, and I want to have some firepower in case we run into anymore trouble when we go through the next portal. So stop your prattling, wench, and get some sleep."

"No." He actually spluttered at this, red eyes narrowing.

"What- what did you-" she cut him off by putting a finger on his lips, then leaned back as he sat stunned (probably that she'd dared to touch him). She smiled, for once feeling completely grateful and unmoved by his barbs. Even though he'd basically taken every opportunity he could to insult her, he'd also been worried about her safety, and had gotten hurt in her stead. How could he be such a nice guy being such a jerk at the same time? It boggled the mind...

"You've done more than enough," she said softly, smile growing a little as she spoke. "I'm sorry that I've caused you so much trouble, and I want to make it up to you by at least letting you get some sleep." He snorted at this idea, shaking his head.

"You couldn't possibly keep those things at bay-" she grinned, shrugging as she cut him off.

"Well, if they do come back, I'll be sure to wake you up with a good kick to the head. But for now, goodnight!" His frown deepened, and he looked as though he was gauging her seriousness. When he saw that she wasn't kidding, he started to speak again, anger tainting his tone as he began to rise from his seat.

"What the deuce do you mean by-"

"Sleep!"

She wondered if it was healthy to get so much satisfaction and glee from seeing the look of absolute betrayal and anger on his face before he dropped to the floor like a stone. She caught him and eased him to the ground, then, upon further thought, dragged the pack over to his side and propped him against it. She knew she'd have to be careful- her spells were weak, and too much movement would probably wake him up and then she'd be in all kinds of trouble. Luckily for her, he was truly exhausted, and even after the spell had worn off, it would have taken an army of Ozzies to wake him.

She considered just leaving him like that, maybe securing his cloak around him a little more before returning to her own side. In fact, she grabbed the heavy material to do so, but recoiled when her hand met with something warm and wet. Looking down at her hands, she saw a streak of blood staining her palm. Cursing him and his stubborn stupidity, she tore off the cloak and worked the fastenings of his armor until she could slip it over his head.

He'd been shot in the shoulder at least twice, and there was a thin cut running across his chest that had been hastily bandaged and consequently soaked through with sweat and blood. She made a noise somewhere between "icky" and "urk" as she peeled off the bandage, but once done, was happy to see that a little water and a bit of tonic would do the trick. She rooted through the bag again, finding another pot and putting the last of her water into it to bring to a boil. She then set about finding more bandages and tonics.

Several minutes of fruitless searching passed, and, irritated, she fell upon the shreds of her own cloak to do instead. And, trying to remember what little healing magic she'd been able to learn, she partially closed Magus' shot wounds. After a few recitations of the spell, she smiled, a little breathless, and admired her work. Not all the way healed, but greatly improved. A little water and the rest of her first cloak's scarps would set him right for the time being, and she hummed softly as she completed her work.

Magus stirred a little as she finished awkwardly wrapping his chest, and he leaned into her shoulder as she tied the strips together. She argued with herself that he wasn't intentionally nuzzling the hollow of her neck- he was probably having a fever dream or something, or maybe he was a big softy who slept with a teddy bear and he was missing it. That didn't stop her from blushing though, his warm breath huffing across her suddenly very sensitive neck. With more reluctance than she would ever admit even to herself, she laid him back on the pack again, brushing away errant strands of hair that had fallen across his face. She smiled down at him, murmuring softly.

"You know what? You look the same way now that you did when you were young- peaceful and content. If I didn't know you were such an ass in the waking world, a girl could almost fall for you."

He stirred again, this time his eyes fluttering slightly, and she froze, hand still on his cheek. He leaned into it, mumbling words into her palm.

"Pathetic... wench..."

She sighed, taking her hand away.

"I did say _almost_..." She looked back over into her section of the room, suddenly tired again, but the corner was looking lonelier than before. Again, Magus stirred, but this time he opened his eyes slightly, giving her a sleepy, hardly-awake look.

"...Eä?" She smiled, getting ready to stand.

"Go back to sleep or I'll do it for you again." He squinted at her as though not understanding. His eyes flickered with something akin to his usual annoyance, and he rose slightly to prop himself on one elbow.

"What are you going about, woman?" She sighed, shifting where she sat, huddling her arms over her knees.

"I'm about to 'go about' taking the night watch, like I said I would. Go to sleep." He frowned at her, and she got the impression he was still half asleep. This belief was compounded with the fact that he opened the cloak slightly, as if in invitation. She stared at him as he calmly gazed back at her (that is to say he was looking at her through half-closed, sleepy eyes that didn't show anything except exhaustion).

"Forget the night watch and come back to bed," he said, then laid back down on the makeshift sleeping roll, "it's too cold to keep watch, and the suits won't be back tonight. Come to bed," he repeated, and, upon seeing that she wasn't moving, he sat up, took her by the arm, and pulled her down beside him. She froze, not knowing what on earth was going on, not really sure why she was so hesitant to tell him off for his actions. Her will to protest fell away completely when he kissed her behind the ear, then nestled his head in her hair with a sigh.

Magus was cuddling with her. He was exhausted and wounded, cold and cranky, and he was _cuddling_ with her. She didn't know if she should give a nervous giggle and just enjoy it, or if she should jump up and run off screaming bloody murder. She listened for a moment, the only sound being the wind outside, the last dying crackles of their fire, and Magus' slow, steady breaths fluttering across her cheek. She continued her mental battle until a particularly chilly wind swept through the room. Shivering, she gave up and spooned herself against Magus, allowing herself to drift off to sleep.

Well, he was right. It was a very nice warm way to fall asleep...

And, it turned out, a relatively nice way to wake up, if you enjoyed disorientation in the morning. Eä, upon crossing back into the waking world, spent several seconds trying to figure out why she was lying on top of Magus, and why he had that funny look on his face. After a quick succession of rapid eye blinks and sitting up bolt right, she decided she really didn't have any idea as to how she'd ended up where she was- at least, how she'd ended up on top of Magus!- and the funny expression on his face was probably either from extreme irritation, slight amusement, or asphyxiation. She tried to scramble to her feet, but tripped in the heavy material of his cloak and simply keeled over backwards, sprawling across his legs and landing in a rather undignified position. She scowled up at him as he smoothly pushed her aside and stood above her, but grudgingly took his hand when he offered it.

She scooted away from him and turned to start dusting herself off, aware that Magus was watching her. She promised herself she wouldn't turn around until her face had gotten at least down to magma red, but quickly forgot her intention when something whapped the back of her head. She grabbed the fabric that had been flung at her, turning around angrily to see what Magus was thinking. She stopped, staring at him openly as he began to tie his armor back in place. He didn't look up from the clasps, but spoke as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"Your attire is, once again, in a state of disgrace, and you've owned your outfit for less than thirty six hours. I don't know whether I should throttle you or commend you for never ceasing to amaze me. Until we come across something more suitable, wear that and use your cloak for a skirt. We need to get underway again, but I won't have you wandering the countryside looking like a tramp and then catching pneumonia on our way. Hurry and change so that we can get on with this debacle. " She glared at him, unbunching the fabric to find part of his peasant's guise- a simple white shirt that, when she pulled it over her head, reached mid thigh. She then went over to the scraps that were once a brand new, magically heated cloak, and used what was left to make a sarong. Magus, upon seeing her work completed, pointed outside.

"Cast the spell, quickly. I want the gate to be open before those hollow buckets return." She stared at him as he walked past her, then put her hands on her hips.

"Wait a minute! I want to talk to you!" He cast a sideways glance back at her before continuing on his way. Seething, she ran up beside him, panting slightly, "hey! What was that, back in there?" She waved towards the dilapidated building they'd just emerged from, crossing her arms irritably. Magus simply looked at her as though she were simple.

"I gave you a shirt. I thought you might want to cover up before we get to Zeal, or Dalton would be tagging at your heels. Unless you would like that?" He raised an eyebrow, and she scoffed, reddening slightly.

"If he's desperate enough to go after a girl his late son's age, then he's pretty desperate. Although, he is kind of pathetic... but! That's not what I meant and you knew it! Quit avoiding the subject! Last night! Why did you... you know...?"

He stared at her as though she'd grown another head. She stared back... until, sighing, she turned to walk further into the ruined streets.

"Right. So, that didn't happen... Anyway!" she called cheerfully over her shoulder, "wouldn't you like to just get back to 595? I mean, it's not a bad period in itself, you've still got time to lord it over all your mystic minions and to kick Ozzie down the stairs. What do you say we go back to.. Uh.. Ok, I'll take that as a 'shut up and get to work' glare."

"You forgot the 'wench' part," he muttered as he shifted his scythe in his hand. She stuck out her tongue at him, but before she turned back to her appointed task she could have sworn she'd seen a smirk. She'd grill him later when his defenses were down and see what was going through his mind.

In the meantime... she had a spell to cast. Again. Maybe it would work this time, and then they could bury the incident and pretend it never happened? Wouldn't that be lovely? She was contemplating this even as she swayed on her feet, then collapsed against Magus as the gate yawned into life. She half-consciously threw her arm over his shoulder as he scooped her up, and pulled herself closer to him as he began to walk towards it. She was in the middle of marveling at the fact that she had been able to stay awake long enough to see the gate open when it gave a sudden burst of red light and then promptly folded in on itself.

Eä was glad that she was holding onto Magus, because if she hadn't been, she would have fallen to the ground in a rather undignified heap. As it was, she was dangling precariously from his neck, staring in amazement at the spot that had been their doorway out of there. Magus, very still, continued staring at the spot, though he did bring his arm back up to support her as she swayed by his side. Very softly, very cooly, he spoke.

"Eä... What just happened?" She let out a nervous laugh, looking up into his face.

"Uh... System failure? Gate crash? Umm... I have no clue and please don't kill me because I'm too young to die?" He smirked at that, and was probably going to give her a witty repartee when there was a loud **BANG!**, and they fell to the ground.

Eä, already half unconscious from her failed gate spell, could barely move from exhaustion. Plus, she had Magus sprawled on top of her, clutching at his now oozing shoulder. He looked at her briefly, and she answered his unasked question with a weak "I'm alright" before passing out beneath him.

She awoke in much the same position as she'd dropped off in, except this time there was a lot more blood, and pieces of robots were lying everywhere. Magus, evidently having been the victor, had collapsed beside her, and seemed to be the source of all the blood. She sat up quickly, regretted it when she found out she'd been hit in the thigh and torso herself, and crawled her way over to him to make a diagnosis. It wasn't a pretty picture.

Magus, unusually pale to begin with, was deathly white, his armor riddled with holes and dented from the robot's attacks. She held a hand over his mouth, and gave a cry of relief when she felt a small huff of air against her skin. But it was weak, and she knew that if she didn't hurry, it would soon become non-existent.

The pack lay forlornly to the side of Magus; rifling through it, she saw that most of their few remaining bottles had been smashed, and one last potion remained. Hardly enough, but it would help enough to keep him from the brink of death. Pulling the stopper out, she cradled his head and tilted the bottle to try to make him drink. She got most of it into him, the rest of it dribbling down his chin. She knew that if he was awake and in a better condition, he would have complained about the mess. But as it was, she could hardly complain as she saw the faintest flush return to his cheeks. His breath came deeper and less raggedly, but she knew he was far from healed. She checked the area again to see where they were, and saw the shelter they'd stayed in the night before close by.

At least, it seemed close by until she attempted to drag him and herself towards it. Then it became abysmally far away, and with each struggling step, the distance seemed to grow instead of decrease. She stopped, collapsing against Magus's slumped form, panting to get her breath. Her own injuries were burning, and she trembled from the exertion she'd put forth to get so far. She looked back... And fell into a heap, laughing hysterically, then coughing. Magus lay still beside her, undisturbed and comatose.

She'd gone about four feet. She was completely exhausted, bleeding profusely, couldn't move anymore, and they'd gone less than two strides from where they'd collapsed. If it didn't hurt so much, she would have kept on giggling, but as it was, all she really wanted to do was take a nap. Get a nice long bit of sleep in... She fell back against Magus, her coughing subsiding.

"Well..." she gasped, coughing again, though it wasn't hurting quite so much this time, "tell you wh-what, Magus. You c-can blame this one... on me.." And with that, she passed out.

"_You know, you need to work on your dramatics a bit more. 'Blame this one on me'? Please, that's so very cliched."_

_Eä sat bolt upright, staring about wildly to find the source of the voice. Then she gasped, clutching at the place she'd been shot, only to find it closed. A quick glance around her showed Magus to be laid out on a bed a few feet from her, looking clean and peaceful in his slumber. The room was sparse and white, futuristic looking and obviously a medic ward, various equipment hung and stored neatly away in cabinets. She'd been healed, cleaned and given another outfit that looked suspiciously like a hospital gown crossed with a body suit. The source of criticism stood beside her bed, arms crossed, and she sputtered in surprise._

"_Wha- Doreen? What are you doing here? What are we doing here? I thought... Are we dead?" Doreen glared at her, shaking her head. But the voices of Masa and Mune piped in before she could reply._

"_You should be! It's only thanks to us that you're not!"_

"_That's right! What were you doing, traipsing about through history as though you could completely rewrite the passage of time and its events? Did you honestly think you'd be **allowed** to change things? Haven't you learned yet? You silly humans, always thinking you're more important than you really are..."_

_Eä ignored the two, turning her attention back to a still-fuming Doreen._

"_But, if we're not dead, where are we? This can't be the future..." Doreen sighed, turning her attention to Masa and Mune, who were still reaming Eä out for her bad judgement._

"_If you two don't mind, I'd like to talk to Miss Dinn. Pipe down, or leave!" The two grumbled a bit, and hopped out of the room, still muttering under their breath. Doreen turned her attention back to Eä, and sighed again._

"_I'd thought you had more sense... For goodness sakes, letting him bully you into dragging you through time is hardly something I'd expect from you. I don't think anyone here would have blamed you for smacking him and going back to bed when he'd booted you out and demanded you take on this farcical journey. In fact, we were counting on you to do it- didn't think in a million years you'd actually do what he told you to do. I'm disappointed in you."_

_Eä pouted, leaning back against the headboard. "I didn't want to do it, "she mumbled, "he made me do it! I told him it was a bad idea."_

"_Yes, well, obviously you didn't try hard enough," Doreen said. "I'm not saying Janus is easy to persuade once he's got his mind set on something, but he usually at least listens to what you have to say. It's bizarre that he didn't this time- we were sure he'd think it through, and realize it was a bad idea."_

"_I already knew that it was a bad idea. That's why I demanded she do it." Both women started as they saw Magus sitting on his bed, gazing impassively at the two of them. Doreen was the first to find her voice._

"_What do you mean, you already knew? Then why-?" Magus reached to tug at a glove, realized they weren't there and that he was dressed in a similar hospital gown, and so glared at his un-gloved hands._

"_I knew it was a bad idea- or rather, I felt that it was. Strongly. I'd never felt so sure of anything before, so I knew that it needed to be tested." Eä gave him a look that told him she thought he needed to work on his logic, but Doreen broke the tense moment with a laugh._

"_Like you were being told not to think about it anymore. I knew they were pushing too hard, and that you'd only want to do it more. Well, water under the bridge now, I suppose. Question is, now what do we do with you? Things are falling apart as we speak, all of our best laid plans... And all thanks to one insignificant human." She looked at Eä, but this time she wasn't glaring. She looked amused, which, Eä supposed, was better than nothing. Eä shrunk back, none the less._

"_I didn't mean to! It was all his fault! Magus, see what happens when you try to screw up Time? We almost get killed!"_

"_Correction- you did actually get killed, we just brought you back. Or rather, we brought him back, you just respawned like last time. We can't keep you down for long. It's a shame, though, because if you were out of the way, things would be much easier for us to maintain continuity. You're a wild card we can't control, and that makes things difficult when we're trying to fix a situation a certain way. It's nothing personal, you've just been giving us issues ever since you've come here, and you keep evading death every time we throw it at you. Admirable, to say the least, but still annoying when you're trying to get the paperwork done." _

_Magus ignored Eä's look of horror and instead turned his full attention to Doreen. "You keep saying 'we'. Who do you mean, and where are we, exactly? This place... it doesn't feel right. The black wind howls..." Doreen nodded, hopping from one foot to the other._

"_You're right in that this place isn't. Right, I mean. We're in Chronopolis, and we're currently in a time flux- in other words, it's like we're at the end of time, but we're not actually in the time stream itself, just pushed to the side by Lavos. It's the perfect place to stay while we're waiting for things to settle down before proceeding again. _

"_As for the 'us', there are many of us- all the scientists and workers who live here in Chronopolis, trying to maintain the time stream continuum and its events, things Miss Dinn seems to enjoy botching up every time she casts a spell. We're all working for FATE, the main computer program responsible for creating those events and everything that occurs. In a nutshell, think of this as the hall of destiny, where dreams are made reality and the place those people of Enhasa imagined of every time they fell asleep." Doreen stopped for a moment, as though weighing her words, and then continued._

"_When you died in 2300 AD, we had to act quickly and bring you back to life. If you had remained dead, certain events wouldn't take place that are essential to the flow of time. Paradoxes would have arisen, and nothing creates more paperwork than paradoxes. So, in short, we brought you back here, patched you up and even threw in some Chronopolis uniforms for free. Of course, you'll both get replacement attire before you return, we can't have any futuristic clothing go back with you- it would ruin all the efforts we're going to."_

_Eä sat forward, not believing a word of this._

"_Wait a minute, all your efforts? You mean-" Doreen nodded again, blatantly ignoring Magus' scowl._

"_When you return, neither of you will remember coming here. Instead, you'll have given up, and you'll return to 595 AD, where 'Magus' needs to be. Things will continue from there as planned. And before you go off, Janus, it's for your own good. Things need to be this way, and if you still want to regain your memories afterwards, you can. Just not now. Now," she said, looking back to Eä, "I need to speak with Miss Dinn alone. Why don't you go to sleep, Magus? We'll wake you before you go back, don't worry." Magus' angry retort was cut off mid-sentence, and he slumped back into the bed, asleep once again. Doreen smiled, and motioned Eä out of the room. _

_The two walked- or rather, Eä walked and Doreen floated by her side- down a long, white corridor filled with people in the same uniforms Magus and Eä were wearing. The scientists stopped their conversations as the two passed, giving Eä stares that were neither friendly or angry, simply curious. Conversation buzzed back to life again as they turned the corner and headed towards a small garden. Doreen stopped, and motioned Eä to have a seat._

"_Again, I want to tell you, it's nothing personal, but you really are ruining things. I know you can't help it, but the sooner you get back to 595 AD, and the sooner you can get Janus to recast the spell, the sooner you can return to your home, and the sooner things will return to normal here. We've been going mad trying to rework things to the way they were, but every time you make a move, things go out of control again. So, I'm supposed to ask you to please stop going around playing avenging angel. Nothing you do will change the course of events, and we're getting tired of cleaning up after you._

"_I also wanted to pull you aside to let you know that you'll be able to remember this, and if you mention it to Janus, he'll think you're crazy. So don't bother- it won't work."_

"_Is... is it because I'm not from this... I guess dimension is the closest thing I can think of. Your FATE program thing.. Can't control me-"_

"_Because you're not part of the initial system. Correct. Haven't you noticed that certain things don't seem to apply to you? Take, for instance, the mystic attack. Most people would have died- just as you did- but because you weren't supposed to be there in the first place, your death didn't register, and so you... rebooted, so to speak. You've noticed underlying things that people originally part of this planet's make up would never be able to without having spent some time here in Chronopolis. It's a shame that you're causing such a ruckus. At any other time, it might have been something the scientists would be interested in studying. But for now, it's just a nuisance. Sorry to be so abrupt about it, but that's how it is."_

_Eä's mind whirled, trying to catch up with it all. Doreen continued, nonplused._

"_As it is, we've gotten things under control enough to send the two of you back, and things will more or less settle down and sort themselves out. All we ask is that you try not to cause anymore of a mess. That way, things will settle down much quicker, and paperwork will be completed much sooner. As soon as the major papers are sorted, we can try to help you with your own problem, because the sooner you're out of our hair, the better." Eä blinked, the shock of realization making her stop mid-stride._

"_You mean... You can help me go back home? You mean it?" Doreen stopped as well, hopping back and forth where she was._

"_Of course I mean it, or I wouldn't have said it! We think we know a way to send you back, we just need to experiment a bit more before we're absolutely sure if it will work. But again, we haven't had time to research at all because you've been botching things up. So do try to be good when you go back. Don't use any magic. Don't interfere in things that are meant to be. Do NOT change people who have specific tasks to complete." Doreen gave her a rather sharp look at this, but Eä was lost in her own thoughts._

_Return home? See her family again? Live a normal life? It seemed so impossible, she could hardly believe it. How long had it been since she'd last seen them? More than a year, two, three? She couldn't even remember anymore, she didn't even have any idea of how old she was, really. She thought she'd given up hope of ever seeing them again, but with Doreen's words she felt an impossible rush of homesickness well up inside, and a longing to return to a place where her only worry would be studying for an upcoming exam._

_She blinked out of her thoughts as Doreen put a hand on her shoulder, and reached up to her face to find she'd been crying. _

"_It may not work at all, so don't get too worked up yet. We won't know until we've spent some time reviewing the subject. I'll let you know when we've found out anything, and also to check in from time to time to make sure you're behaving yourself. Remember! No magic, no meddling." Eä nodded, wiping away the tear stains. Doreen studied her, a gentle, pitying smile on her face._

"_We'll do our best, I can promise you that. For your part, well..." She sighed, hopping to the other foot before picking up her sentence again. " It might be best if you break contact with those you know will play a prominent roll in history. I know it might be hard for you, seeing as your nature seems to will you to throw yourself into the thick of things, but it will make it easier for all of us in the end. I'm not asking you to never see any of them again!" she said, cutting off Eä's gasp, "I'm just saying that if you found a nice place to keep up and pass time while we tried to figure out how to get you home, it might be better for all of us. You don't want to become... attached."_

_Eä flushed, looking down at the ground as she realized what Doreen implied._

"_I think it was a spur of the moment thing, Doreen. Nothing will come of it, and I won't force the issue with him. I'll also give up using my magic, even if Magus will complain about it. Just... I don't want to leave yet. I know it's selfish of me, but..." Doreen stopped her from finishing her sentence, instead squeezing her shoulder before motioning that they should walk again._

"_If you change your mind, just let us know, and we'll do what we can. We can set you up in a nice, peaceful time, and make sure you're comfortably off. I didn't want to suggest it, but the others insisted I did, seeing as it's for your own good, as well as for everyone else. Now," she said, opening a door off to their right, "I'm going to let you get some more sleep. When you wake up, you'll be back in 595. Magus won't remember this, and you'd do well to forget it too. Keep your nose out of trouble, and I'll speak with you again as soon as possible." _

Eä's vision wavered, and she stumbled against the wall, reaching out for support. Strong hands gripped her arm and pulled her upright, making her stumble again, this time into the one helping her. Magus cursed, his breath hissing into her ear.

"Stupid woman, I don't know how you get us into these situations, but if you want to stay alive, I recommend you pull yourself together and stop drawing attention to us." She blinked up at him, his face taut and pale in the wintery light, worry lines chiseled out along his brow. His face had been changed to the one he'd used so long ago when they'd first met, the messy blonde locks falling over his eyes. She then peered over his arm to see a group of soldiers walking towards them, weapons sheathed but expressions grim. Soldiers... From the middle ages! They'd made it back! Then, it dawned on her. Soldiers, from the middle ages! Shit! They needed to hide their faces so they wouldn't be recognized. Mentally kicking herself for disregarding her entire conversation with Doreen, Eä clutched Magus's shoulders, pulling him closer as she tried her best husky voice.

"Oh, _Janus_..."

_That_ got his attention, his face snapping down just in time for her to grab the back of his neck and wrench him down into a kiss. He stood frozen, eyes locked onto hers, and she tried to convey her plan through mental telepathy. Behind them, there was the crunch of snow, and a few chuckles as the soldiers passed and snuck glances at the two. She felt his lips curl into a smirk, and sagged in relief, closing her eyes as Magus brought his arms up to embrace her closer. The rational part of her was screaming bloody murder at the fact that not only was she blatantly going against her promise to Doreen, she was using Magus on top of it! The bolder, self-preserving and more down to earth part of her told the other half to shut up and try to stop ignoring the fact that she was enjoying it, and he didn't seem to be complaining.

A cough and another chuckle behind them made them break apart, Magus giving her an odd look before looking up at the party of soldiers behind her. He smirked, hugging her closer, and raised an eyebrow at the intruding knight.

"Yes? Can we help you?" Eä tightened her grip on his shoulders, trying to force her attention on what the two were saying and take stock of where her dagger was. On her belt, close to Magus' hip. Which was close to her hip, which made her slightly giddy and giggly. She cursed Doreen for putting the idea of getting close to Magus into her head; now that she wasn't supposed to have much contact with him, all she wanted to do was hold on. She decided she'd blame it all on FATE, because that seemed like the best way of ignoring her own guilt.

"You two shouldn't stay out here. As warm as you might feel now, frostbite isn't the best thing to have when first in a relationship. Also, a room might be a bit more... private." Magus chuckled, bringing down a hand to rest on her hip, nodding to the unseen speaker. Eä, for her part, squirmed a little. That voice was oddly familiar... Where had she heard it before?

"We'll do just that, then. Thank you for the advice, young man. Come on Eä, let's take the lad's advice and go."

And just like that, several things happened at once.

Eä glanced over her shoulder, turning to see none other than Tom, the boy she'd saved from the mystic attack so many years ago, standing in front of the group with a knight's badge pinned on his cloak. His shock of red hair that peeked out of his helmet confirmed her fear, and she tightened her hold on Magus' shoulder as she met the boy's gaze.

Tom, for his part, looked surprised, and was momentarily stunned when he recognized her face. He even repeated her name, dazed, then his face hardened and he fell into a battle stance.

"Eä Dinn? You're under arrest for conspiracy against the crown, suspect in the murders of Sir Cyrus and Sir Glenn, and charged with being a mystic spy! You and your companion will return to the garrison with us immediately for questioning and interrogation!" The soldiers and knights behind him took similar stances, seven blades hissing out of their sheathes in unison. Eä shivered at the noise.

Magus, for his part, realized his mistake as soon as Eä had squeezed his arm, and his illusionary spell fell away to reveal him in his normal attire. _That_ drew curses from the lot of men, their expressions becoming even more determined.

"Magus! You disgusting creature! You will be dealt death today!" Magus, however, didn't seem as fazed by the boy's words as Tom had planned. Probably due to the fact that several of the men were shivering, and not just from the chilly air. Pushing Eä to the side, Magus stepped in front of her, not even looking at the group. Instead, he fiddled with his gloves, chuckling.

"What? I'm not to be taken for questions and interrogation? Don't you want to ask me about how I killed Cyrus, and then destroyed that pathetic whelp Glenn? I assure you, I can provide you with all the lurid details..." Magus didn't hesitate throwing the dark bomb that he'd been casting as he spoke, tossing it in front of Tom before scooping up Eä and preparing to teleport.

He dropped her when a sword came whistling through the spell and imbedded itself in his back. Stumbling, he coughed, blood spattering onto Eä and the snow. She stared at him as he fell to one knee, then turned, seeing the men who'd thrown the weapon. She chanted a healing spell to close the wound, but drew out the sword as she did so, her gaze never leaving that of the approaching soldiers.

"I'll be right back," she murmured, handing him their last bottle of tonic, "drink that, and wait here while I deal with these assholes." He took the bottle, downing it in a gulp, watching her as she ran forward into the group of soldiers who'd been lucky enough to avoid the dark bomb. She quickly put an end to that.

Magus simply sat and watched as she sliced through the men, efficiently killing each one and looking for all the world as though she was pleased to see them fall. He had no time to question her as she made her way back, however. Shouts and more stomping of feet interrupted her healing spell, and she hoisted Magus to drape his arm over her shoulder, making him run further into the village to hide.

Magus coughed, shaking her off and looking towards the trees.

"We should head for the forest. Easier to defend ourselves, and easier to disappear." Eä shook her head, continuing her way into the deeper parts of town.

"Go into town, and it's easier to hide footprints. Can you cast your illusion spell differently, can you put it on both of us, and can you hold it for a while?"

Magus nodded to all three questions, closing his eyes as he cast the spell. Eä shivered as she looked at her hands, finding them wrinkled and frail. Magus, for his part, had chose the guise of a young boy- remarkably much like he'd looked about 13000 years prior- except with gingery blonde hair and two missing teeth. She laughed despite herself, and he threw a grin up at her before leading her into one of the closer doorways.

This turned out to be an inn, and the two of them made their way over to one of the tables in the back, sitting down and shaking off the snow from their hoods. A bar maid came over and raised an eyebrow, looking from one to the other before deciding her best bet would be to go with the grandma. Leaning down, and making eye contact, she raised her voice.

"**What would you like to drink, Mam? Can I get you some tea, or some coffee?"** Eä was slightly taken aback- how old had Magus made her look, anyway? She frowned at Magus, who grinned back at her. Turning to the waitress, he beamed up at her.

"We'll both have hot chocolate, please." Turning his smile to one slightly apologetic, he spoke in a conspiratorial whisper.

"She's a lot younger than she looks, really, but she does seem to miss a lot of things that are said to her. Da says she's doing it to be stubborn." He gave the waitress a wink, and she smiled down at him, patting his head. Eä scowled at them.

"WHAT WAS THAT, SONNY? DON'T MUMBLE LIKE THAT, YOUNG MAN, AND SIT UP STRAIGHT! YOU KNOW GRANNY GET'S UPSET WHEN SHE THINKS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HER!"

Magus did as he was told, shouting back at her.

"I JUST TOLD THE NICE LADY HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU, GRANDMA. I'M GETTING US SOME HOT COCOA; IT'LL BE READY IN A FEW MINUTES!" To the barmaid, he said, "see what I mean?"

The girl went away giggling as Eä grumbled about "youngsters these days having no respect for their elders." She scowled again when the waitress came back with their drinks, but sipped the warm brew anyway. However, she was grateful that Magus had cast such a spell on her; when she tried to raise the cup to her lips, she found her hands were shaking. Magus simply watched her, his drink untouched. She closed her eyes, willing her heart to calm down. They would be fine, they'd get back to the castle without difficulty, and she was just panicking for no reason. Didn't Doreen say there was no point in killing her, as long as she did as she promised? She mentally kicked herself. She was pretty sure assaulting Magus in the snow in PUBLIC came under "getting closer" to him, which had recently been put on the list of "things not to do". It also probably hadn't helped that less than an hour after swearing never to use magic again, she'd used five healing spells to help Magus regain the use of his left lung. But maybe the soldiers just happening to be where they just so happened to appear was a coincidence?

The door thudded open, and as the soldiers barged in, Eä was pretty sure she'd pissed off this FATE thing pretty badly.

Magus seemed to be taking it rather well, though. He simply sipped at his hot chocolate, staring at the soldiers as they searched the room. Her heart sank as people pointed in their direction, and the knights headed towards them. Eä put a hand in her lap, searching for the knife hidden in her belt. The other was still holding the cup of cocoa, but she set it down as Tom approached their table. He stared long and hard at them, his sword back in it's sheath, but the ties left undone.

"Excuse me, Mam, but we'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind." Eä did her best to scowl up at him, her fingers clutching the cup.

"EH? WHAT WAS THAT? WHAT DOES THIS YOUNG MAN WANT, DILAN?" Magus looked at them and reached across the table, patting her hand.

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT GRAN, I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT." He turned to speak with Tom, but didn't get a chance to say anymore. Tom had grabbed Magus by his cloak, hoisting him out of his seat and bringing him close.

"Tell me, brat, what business does a pip-squeak like you have with going around with a crest like that on his chest?" Tom jabbed at the scythe emblem on Magus's cloak, then flipped a blade out of his glove and slid it towards Magus' throat.

Eä threw her cup at Tom's head, the hot liquid splashing down the side of his face. She knocked the path of the blade as she drew her own knife, scrambling out from the table. Striking out wildly, she hit Tom's chin, parting the flesh from the cleft to the edge of his eye. He drew back, cursing, the hand that had held Magus going to clutch at the wound. The other men behind him- Eä cursed when she saw that there had been reinforcements added to make over 20 total- drew their own blades again, causing chaos in the inn.

Magus, for his part, was back to his regular appearance again, dagger out because his scythe would be too cumbersome in such close combat. He used it to lash out at Tom again, catching the boy in the stomach. Tom stumbled back, but others took his place, pressing in on the two. Eä was beginning to think she really should've taken Doreen up on that offer of a nice place to retire to...

Ducking the blade aimed for her decapitation, Eä found herself pressed back to back with Magus in the middle of the inn. The crowd of patrons had long since fled; seeing the mighty Magus in their midst had made several soil themselves before they'd made a hasty retreat. The inn was oddly quiet, and Eä's pants were harsh in the silence. Magus was also breathing slightly heavily, though not quite as loudly. She gazed at the hardened expressions of the knights surrounding them, laughing desperately as more of them seemed to come in by the second. They were trapped, and magic was their only hope, except...

"Magus... You don't happen to have any ethers on you, do you? I'm a little parched." He stiffened at that, though he chuckled.

"I completely understand, Lady Dinn. I'm afraid my palate is almost completely dry as well." She sighed, shifting her gaze to one of the original soldiers accompanying Tom. So, they were both low on magic, huh? Well shit, she thought.

"Magus... Can you whisk us away for a drink at the castle?" He was silent a moment, then replied.

"One of us, yes."

She laughed, falling back against him for a second before standing straight, settling into a fighting stance again, her dinky knife raised against the sea of swords.

"Well then, my lord, let me suggest a hasty retreat on your part, and allow me to finish up here. Don't think you're getting rid of me that easily though- remember, I'm the girl who cheats death! ...I'll come back to haunt you if you don't send reinforcements though."

The knights shouted at this, and Eä turned as Magus pressed his knife into her hand. Their gazes caught for a moment, and she smiled up at him. But he was gone when she blinked, and her back arched as a searing pain sliced up her side. She spun to kick the knight who'd cut her, her knife catching his hand as he fell back. Another tried for the same side, the same spot, but she twisted out of the way to catch it with Magus's knife. Really, she thought in a detached manner, Slash would be proud to see all of his bullying sessions had improved her skills somewhat.

But though she continued to strike out against them, there were too many, her skill too little, her magic too far gone and her chances of survival too slim. It was over in a matter of moments, and Eä fell to the ground, once again under the charge of the knights of the square table, but this time, as a prisoner.

* * *

The main dining hall had not been so boisterous in quite some time. Only after a very successful raid was there ever this much celebration and boozing going on, but who was going to question Ozzie when he said that Lord Magus had ordered they prepare in whatever means possible for an all-out attack on Guardia? Ozzie had said they all needed to be well fed before their extensive training begun, so why not pig out and enjoy it while they could? Lord Magus hadn't appeared to tell them otherwise, so why not?

Ozzie, glowing a fairly yellowy-green by now, lifted his glass again, slamming his fist on the table for everyone's attention. Flea sipped daintily at a cup of tea, while Slash scowled beside the magician, goblet in his hand. Really, if Ozzie was going to give yet another speech, he might have to hurt the damn lizard. He understood the idea behind making the army happy and whatnot, but that usually came right before a battle, not before training. And for two weeks? Whatever instructions Ozzie had sworn Magus had given him, Slash was sure they didn't include being a glutton and trashing the entire castle.

Ozzie, oblivious to Slash's thoughts, hovered above his seat, motioning for all to be quiet. As the volume fell slightly, Ozzie, much to Slash's peeved realization, started up another speech.

"Friends! Allies! Honored Guests! Those who are just here for a free party and food! Welcome again! I hope you're enjoying yourself?" To this, an affirmative roar filled the room, and Ozzie nodded his head before motioning for silence again.

"I'm glad to hear it. Now, I know you all are wondering when this training is about to begin..." Slash perked up at this. Maybe they'd be doing something useful soon, instead of lazing about, their skills rusting away with all the wine being consumed. "But until we know exactly what Lord Magus's plans are, I'm afraid that we cannot really prepare for battle. How can we train, if we don't know what we're going to be up against? So, until Lord Magus comes and gives us instructions-"

The large doors to the dining hall slammed open, and the darkness beyond them was absolute. Silence fell over the room, and the soft clicking of boots on stone echoed in the room now devoid of sound. Magus emerged from the shadows, covered in blood, dirt, and who knew what else. His scythe was out, and he strode into the room, surveying the destruction Ozzie had managed to create in his absence. No one dared speak, all were frozen in their spots from sheer horror. After all, it wasn't everyday the lord and master of the castle you're partying in comes to crash the party covered in blood and looking extremely peeved. Or maybe it was the glowing red eyes. Those might have been enough to stop the party themselves.

Ozzie, always the idiot and probably drunk off his ass, huzzahed and clapped when he saw who it was.

"Lord Magus! Just in time to make a speech! ...Oh dear, you're looking a bit upset- not a good holiday? Did you lose the girl while you were gone?"

That seemed to snap Magus out of his furious silence. He tapped his scythe on the ground. Fingering the blade.

"Ozzie... You've got ten seconds to levitate your ass out of my throne and concentrate on making sure that this... THIS is cleaned when I return, and the troops are geared and ready to go to battle. Slash! Flea!" The two were by his side in an instant, surprised by their lord's manner. "You two, meet me in my chambers in two minutes, I have an assignment for you."

The two exchanged looks, but saluted all the same, and teleported to the room. Magus stormed over to the table where a half-drunk bottle of ether sat amidst the remains of dinner. Swigging the remains, he let out a sigh of relief as magic burned hot in his veins again. Still holding the bottle, he teleported back to his own chambers to find an elixir and regain his full strength. He would need all of his power and more, if his plan to storm Guardia castle was to succeed.

* * *

_(ok, so if you don't want to read any violent bits, you should skip over this part. Way I see it, interrogations would get a bit nasty if you're thought to be a mystic spy. So just imagine what they're like if you're a confirmed Magus supporter!)_

* * *

Eä coughed as the cold water splashed over her, the water turning red as it mixed with the blood, tears and sweat she'd spilled in the past few hours. Minutes? Hours? Days? Weeks, even? Time didn't seem to reach the bowels of the castle's dungeon; there was only when you were awake and being 'questioned', and when you passed out when the pain got to be too much. Apparently, the latter time was now over, and so more questions were going to be asked.

"What were you two doing in Porre? Is there an operation going on underground there? Are you smuggling weapons to the mystics, or was it information you were after? How long have you been working with Magus? Were you responsible for alerting him to the movements of Sir Cyrus and Sir Glen? How far back does your history go with Magus? When were you planted here in Guardia as amystic spy? Are there others here as well? What do they look like? Where is Magus now?"

That, she thought dazedly, was a good question. Just where the Hell WAS Magus? Didn't she say she'd be upset if he didn't send reinforcements or something? Maybe he didn't mind the idea of her haunting him til the end of eternity.

She was brought back to the present with a vicious slap across her face, causing her head to whip to the side, and her arms to pull at the ropes that held her. This in turn made them dig deeper into her flesh, causing more blood to ooze from the already chafed skin. And, add to the fact that moving anything seemed to pull at her back, well, it wasn't any big surprise, really, when she hissed in pain, choking down the cry that threatened to send her into another coughing fit, and thus another spasm of pain.

The knight who'd been asking the questions leaned down, smirking at her discomfort. She glared at him, biting her tongue to keep herself from speaking. When she'd been brought in here, they hadn't even bothered pretending to want to question her. She'd been bound, gagged and blindfolded, and they'd simply attacked her instead of asking questions. With what little magic she did have in reserve going into barriers that were quickly kicked away, she guessed they'd used this method before, hoping to make their captive use the last of their magic before they'd begun the "discussion". Long after she'd run out, they finally decided kicking and hair pulling had gotten boring, and they'd strung her up and taken away the gag. Not the blindfold though. Apparently, she didn't get to see who she was going to be spending "quality time" with.

The questions had been the same few over and over again, and she remained silent, half the time not even having the answer, half the time deciding it would be better not to talk, just to spite them.

Then, they brought out "the tools".

Whatever Eä had read back in highschool about medieval torture devices, she'd never really given them much thought. I mean, sure, they looked nasty when you saw the glossy illustrations in the encyclopedia, and the mentioned methods of "making one speak" had seemed horrible, yes, but vague and distant, too horrible to have possibly been quite as bad as they'd sounded in the books. But when the blindfold was removed, and she saw the cat-o-nine tails stained in blood from years of use, and saw the confident smirk that graced the man holding the whip, history didn't seem quite so lurid as she'd thought. Apparently, it was a lot worse than she'd thought.

And, after the first few tastes of the lash, she decided that screaming didn't really count as talking. Magus would be angry if she gave away tactical information, he might even be upset if she told them his favorite animals were cats and that he sometimes snored at night. But she swore to herself two things: one, she wouldn't betray him; and two, when she came face to face with this FATE thing, she was going to rip out its hard drive and take magnets to the screen and anything else that she could think of to screw up the f'ing program. Maybe she'd even see if Lucca or Robo would help. And so, as the man behind her raised his arm again, she decided to make up for what she wouldn't- and couldn't- say with volume.

Now, however, even the guy who'd seemed to be enjoying himself in the beginning was looking bored. The man questioning her sighed, sitting down in a chair across the room from where she hung suspended, slumped forward, but still willing herself to resist. Eä glared at the two of them as best she could, one eye swollen shut from earlier questioning, and blood dribbling down her chin from her bleeding lip. She probably wouldn't be fit to be seen in public for a month, thanks to these guys. She winced as she moved too suddenly, and the pain in her back made her see stars for a moment. When she refocused, she saw the two men speaking with each other, but really couldn't be bothered listening to what they were saying. Why should she care? She should be thinking of ways to escape, some way of getting out of this, some way of getting to Magus and kicking him upside the head for taking so damn freaking long to come to her rescue!

"I just don't know what to do with you, Miss Dinn. If you refuse to speak, how are you going to redeem yourself before you die? If you tell us some of Magus's plans, you might regain a little of your humanity before you die. If you tell us enough, I might even be able to change your execution to a quicker, more humanitarian one. I'm very willing to work with you, Miss Dinn, but I'm afraid you remaining so obstinately silent is doing no one any good."

She simply stared up at him, suddenly too tired to care. Her legs ached, her back was in bloody shreds and it hurt to breathe. At least the other times she'd kicked the bucket, her attackers hadn't been so messy. Poison, explosions, impalements- they were nothing compared to this. And the worst bit was, the bastards seemed to be enjoying themselves!

She snapped back into attention as the questioner stood, handing a knife to the one who'd been in charge of getting responses. The second man walked towards her, unsheathing the knife as he approached. The questioner shrugged as she gave him a leery stare.

"If the regular methods aren't going to work, I suppose you'll go to the stake without talking. It seems a shame, really, because you could tell us so much, being Magus' whore and everything."

"I'm not his whore!" she shouted, though her voice was hoarse from screaming, and it came out as a wheezing cough that left her shaking and trembling from the effort. The questioner simply smiled at that.

"I see, touched a sore spot, have we? Well, since you're not exclusively Magus's woman, then, I don't suppose you'd mind if a few of my men come for a visit before you leave us. I hate to let them miss an opportunity like this- you must be rather good if even the Magus will take you to his bed. Perhaps you'd like to show us why...?"

Eä's eyes widened at the smirk of both men, and forced herself to a standing position, backing away from the one with the knife, even as he reached up to cut her down.

"Stay away from me!" she hissed, although she collapsed onto the one who'd cut her down. She shivered at his chuckle, cried out at his unmerciful handling, and trembled as she saw the other man laugh, shut and bolt the door, then start to undo his belt.

"Well, now that I think about it, a commanding officer should always go first, no? Pave the way for his men? Besides, " he said, whispering in her ear as his hands began to freely explore, " I want to be here to see you break. Maybe I can do it myself, what do you think?"

She shuddered as one of his hands touched a lash mark, and felt bile welling up inside of her, threatening to add to the mess she'd already made on the floor. The bile began to burn hot in her stomach, and she closed her eyes, even as she felt more and more flesh become exposed. Her heart thundered in her chest, blood blazing through her veins like pricks of lightning, and her back, forced against the cold and dirty floor, burned as it was pushed harder against the stone. She struggled against the second man's grasp, but the officer slapped her, slamming her head into the stone with enough force to make her see stars. She lay dazed, unresponsive to the touches of the two men, all the while her mind fervently praying that Magus would come and save her from this torment.

Eä lay huddled in the corner, no longer focusing on anything happening to her. After the two had finished, they'd left her there, alone and bleeding on the floor. She'd managed to pull herself to one side of the room, but then others had come in, and as they pushed her down and continued where the other two had left off, something inside her snapped. She lay perfectly motionless, the voices and grunts and laughter mingling to fade away into white noise. She liked this white silence. It was so overwhelmingly loud, and yet she couldn't hear anything. It was just a warm, tingling sensation, all over her body, reminding her of the first time she'd ever really felt magic. Back in Zeal, all those years ago...

She wondered, vaguely, what Magus was doing right now. Was he gearing up to save her, rescue her and whisk her away to his castle, never to let any harm come to her? Well, he was a bit late for that, so was he going to come and rescue her, at least? But then, why would he? It wasn't as though she was one of his important generals. She'd secretly hoped he would tell her he'd be back to get her, and have him rescue her before they'd gotten to the castle. But he hadn't. He'd just given her the knife and left her, obviously outnumbered and outclassed. He hadn't even bothered to send a party to intercept the group as they rushed to the castle. And it would be suicidal for him to come now, when she was in the deepest part of the castle's sanctum.

At first, when she'd realized that, she'd wanted to die. If there was no hope of rescue, why bother waiting for it? But apparently the soldiers still expected her to break, to tell them everything before they let her die. And so, to spite them, she refused to speak.

And in a way, they had broken her, but not in the way they're hoped. She was now just content to lie there, staring up at the ceiling, not caring about what was going on around her or happening to her. Just her, and this blissful, blinding white silence. She only hoped that she'd die before they figured out a way to bring her attention back to them.

She must have fallen asleep- or passed out, which was more likely- because when she came to again, she was alone. Her body ached, her skin was cold and she felt as though she had a raging fever. The stone floor beneath her, dirty to begin with, was now covered in filth, mixed body fluids and grime clinging to stone and flesh alike. Taking what remained of her clothes from the floor, she wrapped herself as best as she could, shivering with cold and exhaustion.

She lay there, trance like, staring at a particularly dark stain on the floor for what seemed to be hours. She concentrated on the burning sensation of her blood coursing through her veins, focusing on that heat and willing herself to ignore all other sensations. The door opened at some point, and she looked up to see the original two men who'd questioned her, the officer and the soldier. She shivered as they came closer, drawing the threads of her clothes closer. This caused them to laugh, and the officer knelt down before her, slapping her hands away and pushing her down.

"Now, now, Miss Dinn. I'm sure we're close enough now that you don't have to do _that_. Let me see all of you before you start bleeding again."

As the officer began to peel her last shreds of dignity away, she tried grasping that white blindness that she'd held onto for the previous few days, but she couldn't find it. All that was left was stinging heat that raced through her, just like magic and her desire to kill these men.

Just like magic...

She began to laugh.

Blood and tears ran down her face, and her back ached with the effort, but it grew louder, less wheezy and stronger as she lay there, exposed and bleeding on the floor. The officer and his assistant failed to see what was so funny, and shouted at her to shut up, even as they forced her still. She continued to laugh, staring up at the ceiling and focusing on what she was trying to do. It wasn't until they paused long enough to gag her again that they realized exactly _why_ she had been laughing, and by that time, the fire spell she'd summoned with that last remaining reserve had already flared up and engulfed the room in an inferno of death.

In the end, though, she supposed they got the last laugh. Even as the officer pulled away from her, pants about to slide off and tripping him as he tried to get through a door she'd made sure was now welded to the wall, she continued to laugh. She was only silenced when the second man, aware of what their fate was to be, used all of his strength to rise up, hover above her, take out his knife and slam it home through her heart.

* * *

_(ok, end of bloody part... you didn't miss much, really)_

* * *

"Fire! There's a fire in the castle dungeon! Quickly, get the pumps and buckets!"

Slash frowned, peering at the humans running around in a frenzy far below him. It had been pathetically easy to get to the top of the mountain behind the castle and make their way down onto the ramparts. Maybe that was because of the fact that they were all concentrating on the force led by Ozzie at the front of the castle, or because at the same time they'd begun to attack the castle from the front, a blazing fire was supposed to have broken out within. Slash frowned, watching the men scurry back and forth in vain attempts to put out the fires while keep their front secure. Whether by luck or genius, Magus's plan of a direct attack was going smoothly. Tonight, Guardia would be utterly destroyed, and Magus would become ruler of the world. He wondered if a victory helped along by Ozzie's efforts would get the obese mystic out a trouble.

Nah, probably not.

Flea landed deftly by his side, taking in the carnage below them as easily as one might look at a pastoral scene.

"The fire is definitely magical in origin. It means our girl's still alive, or was, at any rate. How long do you think it took, and how much do you think she spilled? I mean, they've had a week to break her..." Slash shrugged, motioning his group to be ready.

"Does it really matter now?" Flea thought for a moment, then laughed.

"Guess not!"

The two mystic generals leapt down into the smoke-filled courtyard below, and where there was once chaos, now pandemonium broke loose.

The two fought their way into the castle proper, the soldiers falling without even putting up a good stand. They got to the throne room, and realized the castle had already been abandoned by the royals. Meaning this battle was pointless now. Slash sighed, flicking blood off his blade and looking off into the fray outside.

"So, now what? Kill all of them, or leave a few survivors to tell the tale? Hell, it's no fun when there's no big prize to be had. I was looking forward to bringing back Guardia's head." Flea blew across her nails, buffing them on her cape before pointing towards the smokey hallway.

"Well, we can always go rescue the kid. Magus did say to get her out if we could." Slash snorted, wiping the blade clean before putting it back in its sheath.

"He also said don't bother if it's too troublesome. I classify a raging fire and possible death by smoke inhalation troublesome, don't you?" Flea laughed, tossing back her braid.

"Oh come on, what else is worth taking back? Maybe the kid spilled the beans about our attack, and that's how the royals knew to escape. Don't you think Magus would want to deal with her personally?" Slash sighed, shrugging.

"I guess... So, do you want to do something about that fire first, or do I get to wade through and hope I don't get burned?"

The two fought their way down into deepest part of the castle; the store rooms and treasury being the only things secure enough to be considered dungeons. Considering there was only one door left closed, and this seemed to be because it was welded shut, the two generals assumed they'd reached the right place. Flea took out the remains of the door with a blast, and Slash stepped inside, blade drawn. Then promptly lowered it.

"Holy _shit_."

There were two charred spots on the floor, burned outlines vaguely human-shaped. There were also lumps of metal which had probably been swords and buttons and buckles at one point, glittering in a heap of the still smouldering piles. The walls had been blackened with smoke and ash, and floor was a flaked brown color, crunching underfoot. _Baked blood_, Slash realized. He walked over to what had first caught his eye, and sheathed his blade before bending down.

"Holy shit," he muttered again, looking over Eä's body, seeing the cuts, the marks and the bruises, knowing or at least guessing where they'd come from. His eyes lingered on the charred handle of the knife sticking out of her chest, and he shook his head, surprised.

"They really didn't hold back, did they?" Flea wordlessly batted him away from Eä, and reached down to extract the knife. It broke away and crumbled when she tried to pull it out, making her curse profusely. Taking off her own cloak, Flea covered Eä with it and motioned for Slash to pick her up. Slash stared at the bundle, then at Flea.

"She's already dead. Magus didn't say he wanted her back if she was dead."

Flea sighed, exasperated.

"She's done this before, don't forget, and she's bounced back from worse than this. Even if she doesn't this time, Magus will want proof that she isn't siding with the humans again. Bring her back to camp, and I'll get the rest of that knife out of her. We'll hope, for her sake, that if she does revive, she'll stay dead long enough for me to get the worst of the cleaning up done."

* * *

_So... this is what it's like to die... again... _

_How many times has it been now? Eä tried to count on her fingers, but gave up, instead wondering at the fact that she still had fingers to count on. Death was very... hmm... boring seemed to be the best way to describe it. She was just floating there, staring out into the blank space spread out before her. Well, it wasn't really blank, now that she thought about it. It looked vaguely familiar, now that she thought about it. She just couldn't place it..._

"_Eä! Over here! Eä!" She shifted her gaze to where the voice was calling from, seeing the fuzzy shape of Doreen come into view. Eä waved at her, floating towards the other creature in a languid, carefree gait. No need to hurry when you've got eternity, right?_

"_Hey Doreen. Did you die too? Isn't it nice and quiet here? Kinda dull though. You don't want to play a game or anything, do you?" Doreen studied her carefully, pacing back and forth from foot to foot._

"_Eä... I'm sorry about what happened back there. I know it doesn't atone for anything, and I swear to you I didn't know that there were soldiers where we sent you back." She sighed, looking down at the non-existent ground. "Apparently, your immediate dismissal of the idea of leaving Magus alone got FATE a little... upset. She decided to try to... change your mind."_

_Eä stared at the alien female, trying to take in this information._

"_FATE... made all of.. THAT happen... to teach me a lesson? To make me want to stay away from Magus?" Doreen nodded, scowling in the direction she'd come from._

"_She thought that if you didn't think you were good enough for Magus anymore, you'd want to give up and leave... I swear, Eä, I didn't know what she had in mind until after the fact."_

_Eä sighed, trying to keep the memories down and her tears from spilling over. She couldn't keep up the brave act though; drawing her knees to her chest, she hid her face and wept silently. _

"_What exactly are you here for, Doreen?" Eä asked a some time later, when she'd gotten herself under control again. The alien female had said nothing, done nothing while she'd sobbed- if she had, Eä might have struck out at her, she was so enraged and hurt. Doreen closed her eyes, giving a particularly anxious hop before replying._

"_Well... We can't undo what's happened- not really, anyway. I mean, we could rewrite time and make it so that it never happened, but you would still remember, and that wouldn't really accomplish anything. What I can offer you is as thorough a memory-wipe as we can do on you- it wouldn't be total, you understand. We can't rewrite programming that we don't have access to, so to speak- but we could make you forget parts of what happened... you'd remember the events, but not the feelings or anything... it might not be so painful that way." _

_Eä stared at her for a moment, then closed her eyes, shivering as the memories threatened to overtake her again._

"_No."_

_Doreen stopped her nervous twitching, no doubt amazed._

"_If I'm going to get through this, I have to be able to remember it all. I need to know what it is I've got to overcome, so when... when I've gotten past it all, I'll know where I've come from." She stopped, trying to wipe away the tears that were spilling out again- why hadn't she run out of them yet?_

"_If I take the easy way out, what does that make me, other than a bigger coward? I've got to- to deal with th-this on m-my own..." She stopped for a few moments, gulping in breath and trying to calm down again. When she looked up again, she caught Doreen's eyes._

"_I'm going_ _to get over it, it just might take some time. But I'm not weak! I won't let this make me weak! I don't want..." she stopped herself from speaking further, looking away._

"_You don't want Magus to pity you, or throw you aside for being too weak." Doreen finished for her. Eä nodded, gulping again. Doreen sighed, glancing behind her again._

"_Eä... You need to let history take its course. Let him go down his own path, and go down your own. Look," she said, pulling out a small rounded pebble and putting it into Eä hand, "do what you need to say goodbye, and then bring out this stone. If you cast the gate spell, and then walk through with this held out in front of you, it will take you to a cottage I've arranged for you. It's in 1005 AD, which, as you know, is a perfectly nice, quiet time in which to live. It will be a nice place to wait out this thing, and regain your spirits. What do you say?"_

_Eä gazed at the stone in her hand, then looked back up at Doreen._

"_Anything I need to do to say goodbye? No matter how long it takes?" Doreen sighed, although there was a bit of pained humor in her expression._

"_Just make sure you'll be gone by the time Glenn has the hero's medal."_

_Eä gripped the rock tightly, holding it to her chest and looking out beyond Doreen._

"_Can... can you keep that cottage for me for a bit longer? Can I go visit other places, as long as I don't meddle? I'm owed at least that, right? I don't mean to be a nuisance..." Doreen blinked, sighing once again._

"_I can't promise anything, Eä, but I personally don't see why not, so long as you don't meddle. But I think it would be best if you simply left as soon as you're able to. In all honesty... you won't be able to move for some time, after you wake up. A month, maybe more. If I were you, I'd have said my goodbyes by then, and disappear at the first opportunity." she stopped at this point, looking over Eä's shoulder, then back down at the girl's face. "You're going to be waking up soon. I'm sorry we can't talk anymore right now- if you want to speak to me in sleep, just think of me before you go to bed, and I'll come speak with you that way. Good luck, Eä. You're being remarkably strong... I'm proud of you." Doreen bent down and hugged her lightly, then turned to fade back into the increasing mist. Eä looked up, suddenly._

"_Doreen!" the other paused, looking back. "It was you who gave me that magic, wasn't it? The magic I used...?" Doreen smiled, a sad, pitying smile._

"_It was the only thing I could do to make it up to you. I'm just sorry I couldn't do more." and with that, she was gone, and Eä fell into the blinding whiteness once again._

* * *

Magus sat staring at the motionless figure on the bed, watching the slight rise and fall of her chest. He'd been sitting there for over a week, simply watching her with that blank expression on his face. One who didn't know him well would have thought he was bordering on obsession; the three generals who knew him best, however, knew his intentions ran deeper than lust or love. They'd seen the expression on his face only once before, after he'd killed his first human. This time, it was what he hadn't done that brought about the guilt.

When Slash and Flea had returned four days after the unsuccessful raid on the castle,he'd been waiting for them in his study, drawing up plans and trying to come up with a better method of infiltration. He didn't know how news of an attack he hadn't planned until he'd returned had leaked, but he had to make sure their next attack would be cunning, brutal and the final stroke needed to crumble the kingdom. His countenance was grim while he listened to Ozzie's reports; when the two finally returned with the news of the royal's elusion, his mood went from bad to worse. When he saw the stretcher carrying Eä's body back, his face went blank, but the air around him became noticeably chilly. He ordered then to take her upstairs, and had the two accompany him there. He remained silent as the two spoke of what they'd done and what they'd heard, what they'd seen and what they guessed. Flea told him of her attempts to revive Eä after removing the rest of the knife, but how all attempts had failed. Slash spoke of the condition of the room where they'd found her, and what they suspected must have taken place.

Magus, after looking over the body himself, simply stood staring at her a moment, then turned to the two. His voice was quiet, controlled. They recognized the edge of pure rage that chilled his voice, and surmised his mood was fit to match his voice.

"How much do you think she told them?"

This, however, surprised them. They'd assumed his anger would be geared towards the men who'd captured and killed the girl, not the girl herself. Surely he wasn't thinking right? Slash cleared his throat, running a hand over his bald dome.

"By the looks of it, they did everything they could to get her to talk-"

"I'm not asking why she said anything, Slash, " Magus interrupted, taking a last look at the bandaged body in the bed before drawing the covers higher. He turned to the two, fiddling with his gloves. "I am well aware of what these marks mean, and can draw my own conclusions as to their effects on a prisoner's willingness to speak. I'm asking you how much you think she told them."

Slash sighed, shrugging.

"Hell, I don't know. I don't think she knew enough to be able to tell them anything important anyway. I mean, she was never there for any important strategy meetings; when we made her do things, they were always decoy positions, and she usually botched them up. The only thing she could really tell them about would be the magic cave, and even then, she wouldn't be able to tell them how to open it without magic. I'm guessing that if she did say anything, it was curses and not military secrets." He looked over at the bed again, frowning slightly. "Does it really matter now? The castle's burned down a fair amount, but they'll rebuild. We need to regroup and retrain the men, then try to figure out a way to keep tabs on the royals so we don't miss them again. Whatever she told them won't matter if we can crush them before they can use the information."

Magus nodded, crossing his arms and studying the mystic.

"I'll leave the regrouping and training to you, then. Flea, for the time being, I want you to put an extra patrol around the cave, in case they try anything funny. In the meantime, try brainstorming. We need to think of ways to-"

He was interrupted by a cough, followed by a soft moan, and the three of them looked over to see Eä shift slightly on the bed. She hissed in pain as her movement pulled on unclosed wounds, and stilled, though there was evidence of her shivering. Magus broke off what he was saying and moved over to the bed, staring down at the pathetic form of Eä. His expression hardened, and he his voice was curt.

"What did you tell them, Eä?"

She moaned again, shifting slightly uncomfortably, though she quickly grew silent again, her eyes remaining closed. Magus motioned Flea over, and the magician cast a cure spell, easing the shivering of the girl a little. Three spells later, Eä opened her eyes in a squint, then rolled her head over to look up at Magus.

"...Magus?"

"What did you tell them, Eä?" He stared down at her, unmoving. She flinched, unintentionally trying to move away from the sound of his voice, then gasped as she felt the repercussions of such movement. She lay still, shaking, eyes closed. Magus tried again.

"What did you tell them?"

"Nothing," she muttered, keeping her eyes closed, hissing as she shifted again. Magus remained adamant, however.

"Look at me, Eä. What did you tell them?"

"Nothing... I didn't tell them anything..."

"Then why can't you look me in the eye when you say that?" She shifted again, glaring at him through slitted eyes.

"I didn't tell them anything of consequence. It doesn't matter what I told them, they didn't believe me anyway." She sighed, closing her eyes again, breathing deeply, coughing slightly with the release of her breath, then opened her eyes again. "Am I naked under the covers?"

Magus didn't change his expression, and the shadow of a smile faded from her lips. Slash and Flea exchanged looks, both feeling the room's temperature drop several more degrees. So, she had talked... and yet it didn't seem like she cared! The kid had a death wish, that was certain, and it looked like Magus would be happy to oblige. They didn't know whether or not they should leave the two to their usual verbal sparring, or stick around for the entertainment value. It didn't matter either way; Magus and Eä were having a staring match that took their entire attention.

"Eä, what did you tell them?"

She looked back at him, eyes half shut again.

"I told you, it doesn't matter." Magus 'hmphed', scowling down at her.

"The king and queen weren't in the castle when we attacked. They'd been tipped off, apparently, and fled before we got there. Do you have any idea how they might have known about our plan?" Eä stared up at him, blank faced.

"Magus... how the hell would I know that you were planning to attack the castle? I couldn't tell them things I didn't know." Magus leaned forward, hands on the bed.

"But you told them things you did know? Tactics, operations, spies names and locations?" She simply looked at him, then closed her eyes.

"I don't know any of those things, Magus. Even if I did, I wouldn't tell them."

"Then what-?"

"I told them I wasn't your whore. That was it. They didn't believe me, and... It doesn't matter. Please, stop questioning me and leave me alone. If you want a detailed report of all that went on, I'll tell you, but for now, just let me sleep." She rolled her head away from him, wincing as she moved, but refused to say anything more.

Magus didn't reply, but he did withdraw from the bed, motioning the two generals out of the room. He joined them in the hall, closing the door behind him, then turned to Flea again.

"You've got another assignment. I want you to watch her, make sure she doesn't do anything stupid. Something's off, and I don't need her wandering around suicidal while I'm busy working. Also, brew up one of your strongest truth serums. I have a feeling Miss Dinn will not be forthcoming in the near future, and I need to know if she was telling the truth or not. I'll speak with you again later tonight, but for now, go do what I told you to do."

They saluted and disappeared, leaving Magus to return to the room, and pull up a chair by the bedside. She was already asleep again, but he leaned over her, studying the bruises and cuts that marred her pale flesh. He reached down to move the blanket higher again, his fingers brushing her lightly as he grabbed the material. However, the touch was enough to wake her, and her reaction was much more violent than he would have expected.

She cried out, jerking away from him and scrambling away towards the other side of the bed, shivering and shaking against the headboard as the shock wore off and the pain began to register again. She collapsed against the cold wood, panting with the effort, and stared at him with wide eyes, obviously terrified. He stood back, alarmed, then started to come towards her.

"Eä, you need to rest. Get back down and get some sleep-"

"Don't touch me." He stopped, already halfway around the bed. She shivered, pulling the blanket up around herself and gulping air to try to calm herself. He stood there, waiting for her to make the next move. She simply pulled the blanket higher, covering herself more, and tucked her head down."Don't look at me..."

"Eä, stop this foolishness and sit up. You've probably reopened some of your wounds, and they'll have to re-wrapped. Turn around so I can make sure-"

"No, Magus, please... don't. Please.. I don't want to be touched." He froze again, trying to remain unfazed. Something was wrong, and he was afraid he knew exactly what it was. Taking in a deep breath, he tried to speak in the most gentle tone he had.

"Eä, I'm not going to hurt you, and I'm not going to try to do anything. I just want to check your back and make sure that you're alright. I won't do anything else," he repeated, leaning down and gently pulling back the covers to expose her back.

"DON'T!" she screeched, pulling away and going to the other side again. This time, she made it out of the bed, covers dragged off with her, but she didn't have the strength to stand, and she collapsed onto the floor. She lay there, trembling, her breath the only sound in the room. Magus remained where he was, closing his eyes.

"Eä... the men who... who did... _this_ to you are dead. You killed them. You're safe now, but you're going to hurt yourself even more if you don't let me help you. You know I'll keep my word and won't try anything, for Gods' sakes, just let me help you!" He really tried not to shout, but it was so frustrating, not knowing how to deal with this. If he wasn't careful she'd try something stupid again, and next time it wouldn't just be falling out of bed. Her voice was hoarse, tremulous and quiet.

"I don't want you to see me like this... Please, don't come near me..."

He sighed, counted to ten, kept his eyes closed.

"How about a compromise? Would you allow Flea to examine you? I'm afraid Flea is the closest thing we've got to a female medic , and all I can offer you in the time being. Will you let her see you?" He clenched his fists, waiting for her as she thought this over.

"...yes..."

He let lose his breath, then summoned Flea. She appeared, scowling, unmarked bottles in her hands. She glared at him, holding one of them up.

"What? I'm busy doing what you told me to do, so what's so important...?" she broke off as she took in the tussled and empty bed, then raised an eyebrow, smirk on her face. "You lost the girl again?"

Magus was in no mood for humor, pointing to the other side of the bed.

"Miss Dinn has taken a fall out of bed, and has consequentially reopened her wounds. You are to rebind them, and get her into bed and resting again." Flea's other eyebrow went up, and she went over to the other side, helping Eä stand and then sit on the edge of the bed. Magus saw that she had, indeed, managed to stain the bandages red again, and he turned, heading towards the door.

"I'll leave you to it, then. But Eä," he said, opening the heavy oak door, "I will be back in when Flea is finished. Don't do anything stupid again." With that, he shut the door, and waited in the hall, cursing under his breath.

When the magician reemerged from the room, Magus looked at her. Flea shrugged, wiping her hands on a towel.

"Hell, you know as well as I do why, so don't bother asking me. And before you ask, no, I don't know how long it will take her to get over it. Some women completely lose it after things like that happen, so just be happy she hasn't appeared to go mad. As for questioning," she said, pulling out the two bottles again and preparing to return to her earlier work, "I recommend holding off until she's strong enough to get around by herself. You don't want to accidentally screw anything up by giving her more drugs than she can handle at once... She might come out with it all anyway, so don't push it til the need arises, is what I say. I'll be back later to change the bandages." Magus nodded, and she disappeared, leaving him in the hall. Cautiously, he pushed the door open, and made his way over to the bed, where once again, Eä lay sleeping. He sighed, sitting down in the chair he'd moved earlier, and began to wait.

It was weeks before Eä was able to get up and leave her room. In that time, Magus had questioned her again and again, trying to see if her story changed. But she remained sullenly obstinate, repeating the same thing over and over- how could she tell them about an attack she didn't even know about herself? She hadn't told them anything, why did he keep asking her the same thing? Didn't he believe her?

Magus didn't say anything to that, instead leaving her to her own devices and going back to his own studies. He left their discussions with thoughts in turmoil, emotions mixed. He was sure, by this time, that she hadn't had anything to do with the attack's discovery by Guardia- he'd known that to begin with, really. He hadn't planned anything, really, he'd just happened to bump into Ozzie the morning they'd departed. He'd simply thought of something to shut Ozzie up, and preparing the units for battle seemed like a productive distraction. No, if his preparations had been leaked, it had been by someone else in the castle. Eä was cleared of that, at least.

He pushed aside the worries of who had turned spy for another time, instead trying to concentrate on the spell he'd been trying to rework. But every time he began to go through the papers, images of her face would come from nowhere to haunt him, and he would curse himself thoroughly. She never said anything other than her repeated oath of innocence; it was what she didn't say that kept nagging him.

Every time he left, he could feel her gaze follow him. Whenever he spoke with her, he saw that unasked question lurking behind her pale face, heard the accusations in every sigh and hiss of pain. Why hadn't he come to her rescue? Why had he let them do what they did? Why hadn't he done something? But instead of answering, he left, the questions hanging between them, the distance growing with each visit.

Why? He growled under his breath, flipping through one of his spell books, thumbing the fragile pages with more force than was necessary and probably more than was good for the brittle pages.

Why? He was asking himself those same questions. When he'd returned to his castle, he'd had every intention of heading a unit himself to go and stop the soldiers' march towards the castle. He'd even called in Slash and Flea to discuss tactics of how to go about getting her back, but a voice niggled at the back of his mind, even as he pulled together what he'd need to save her.

_Why bother? Wasn't this a chance for her to prove her worth? To prove that she had the right to wear his symbol, and to show the others that she had come to their side completely?_

He'd brushed it off, knowing that, despite her inept ability to screw up every mission she'd been assigned, the troops liked her well enough, despite her humanity. Even Slash had seemed to soften towards her, and the swordsman didn't like anyone, least of all a human. Still, that voice wouldn't be silenced.

_But has she really been worth all the trouble you've been put through since she came? Think about it. All those things you've had to deal with since she came... _

He'd snorted, slamming the book closed before going for another. And what should he do then, wait and see if she came back to him under her own volition? It was one thing when she'd run away, quite another when she'd been captured and was being held prisoner, most likely under the strictest guard. And without the little magic she had, she was as good as helpless.

_But she's gotten out of scrapes that no normal person would be able to escape. Surely this is the perfect opportunity to test her, see how long it takes her to get free. _

The thought stilled him. Leave her there? It was true, she had an uncanny tendency to get out of situations that most sane people would have balked at...

_So, wait a week. See if she comes back. See if she escapes and makes her way back to you. If she does, then no one will question her ability. They'll stop wondering if the attention you've been giving her has been unwarranted as well. Kills two birds with one stone, really._

But what if she dies?

_She'll get over it. She always has in the past._

Flea and Slash had arrived then, expecting to be given orders of where and when to attack. Instead, they came upon a contemplative Magus, who's unwavering gaze seemed to be caught up in... Hell, they had no idea. He was staring off into space, an unnerving look of vagueness about him. He waved them aside, not moving his eyes.

"We're going to stall the attack for a week," he said in a voice that was as distant as his eyes. The two exchanged looks, Slash being the one to step forward.

"Lord Magus, are you sure?" Magus snapped out of it then, glaring up at the two.

"Do I need to repeat myself? We're stalling the attack a week, to see what will happen..." He trailed off, then shook himself, going back to his books. The swordsman looked as though he wanted to argue, but Flea held him back. She bowed, sweeping her cape about her.

"If that is what you wish, we'll inform the men." Magus nodded, looking contemplative again.

"Tell them to train until we're ready to go. And send Miri in as you leave." The two departed, sending the maid in after informing her of Magus' wishes, and Miri, sensing that something was afoot, prudently took a bottle of wine and goblet in with her.

But a week had passed, and they'd heard no news of Eä. Apparently, Guardia wasn't about to let its people know of their prisoner until they'd gotten information to make the capture worthwhile. That was promising, to say the least, but still, he'd been unsettled with his decision, and wondered if it had really been worth it. The attack went as planned, but Guardia wasn't there, and he was surprised to find that he didn't even care. Then, they'd brought in Eä's corpse, and when he'd seen what had happened, he knew that it was his fault. He could have had her rescued before they'd gotten to the castle, but he'd sat back and let it all happen. The worst thing is, after she'd woken up, she didn't blame him. She simply repeated the same things over, like a damn mantra, never blaming him. It didn't matter though, he blamed himself.

And through these weeks, no one questioned him, or why he'd done what he'd done. He almost wished Eä would come in, screaming at him like she always did when she was angry with him, blaming him for all the things that he'd done and the things he hadn't. But she kept to herself these past weeks, speaking to no one. Even when she had recuperated to the point where she no longer limped along the passages, and her movement was no longer a combinations of slow shifts and hisses of pain, something wasn't right. Late at night, sometimes, he thought he'd hear her cry out, but upon looking in on her, he would find her awake, staring out across the island. She'd turn to face him, and her face would be dry. He wondered if she'd cried herself dry, and all that remained of her was a husk of who she'd been.

She'd been sleeping very little, eating even less, and given up speaking unless spoken to. She moved, wraithlike, through the halls, wandering listlessly. The only time she really seemed back to her old self was when she went down to spar with Slash. The swordsman didn't let her practice as much as before, mostly for fear of reopening the scarred flesh on her back. But she came at him with a vengeance, fighting with an intensity not there before. Slash said she'd cracked; he'd seen people fight like that before- the madness in their eyes made them desperate to prove themselves alive when everything else around them seemed dead. Flea said the girl refused to do magic, muttering something about a promise. The few spells the magician had been able to coax out were weak at best, wrong most of the time.

Ozzie refused to go near her. Every time he ran into her in the halls, he fled. When questioned, he simply stared at the person inquiring.

"She's just biding her time. Any time now, she's gonna snap and lash out at someone. I don't want to be the one who get's it."

In fact, before their trip, she'd avoided most of the castle's inhabitants, keeping to herself. But now she didn't speak to anyone, and she ignored the stares of others as she passed. The only person she tolerated for any amount of time was the maid Miri, who did most of the talking anyway. Magus spoke with her to find out about Eä, rather than deal with her himself. He knew that was a cowardly thing to do, but he didn't care. He didn't have to explain himself to anyway, dammit, he was the Magus!

That was why he was so surprised when she called to him after there'd been weeks without any communication between the two. He'd been in his study, pouring over the same spell he'd been working on for weeks, and he could have sworn he heard Eä's voice. He paused, listened, but didn't move from his chair, sure that he'd just heard something. But there it was again, the voice calling out his name.

"Janus..."

He frowned at that- usually she only called him that when she was angry with him, or wanted to make him upset. So why now? He got up from his desk, teleporting himself to her chambers, sure he'd find her asleep for once. But no, there she was, standing by her balcony window, still dressed and wide awake. He waited by the door, keeping to the shadows in the chilly room, but he was sure she knew he was there. They stood there for some time, almost to the point where he wondered if she'd learned how to fall asleep standing up. He never knew what to expect with her. He'd started to wonder how he could get her tucked into her bed without touching her when she spoke, breaking the silence at last.

"I... Magus... Janus, I don't know what to do."

She stood with her back to him, staring out the window into the expanse of stars that hung like lamps from a midnight-blue velvet curtain. Her posture betrayed a deep-set weariness; a pensive, insecure sorrow that pulled her shoulders down, made her bow her head ever so slightly, even her hair fell in listless strands. He stood by the door, waiting, watching to see what she would do, what she wanted him to do. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do himself, but her aura was odd, and it made him uneasy. She might not be willing to talk about what had happened in the castle, but he had a fair guess of what took place, and knew that the light scars on her back would not be the only reminders of those days she spent in the castle's bowels, the ones that took years to cure. Others, unseen to the eye, could fester and poison and eventually kill a person, just as easily as those of the flesh. The spirit and mind of a person could be just as fragile as the skin- more so, because it took more than a healing spell and time to make things right again. And, he knew, sometimes they'd never heal.

After it became obvious that she wasn't going to speak again, he spoke instead.

"What do you want me to help you decide?" She remained silent, though he could have sworn he saw a slight shrug. He closed his eyes, telling himself to remain calm. He asked again, but again, she was not forthcoming.

In the silent moments following his second question, he closed the distance between them, putting a hand to her shoulder to guide her back to bed. She flinched, but didn't try to shrug him off, which was a good sign. Better than her initial reaction to his touch, at any rate.

"Eä, the healer said that you shouldn't push yourself. You don't need to do anything, just rest. We'll deal with things as they come. But for now, go to bed. Sleep. Let things settle, and in time, they'll pass. It won't be easy, but the memories... they'll fade, in time." He drew in some breath, letting it go in a sigh.

"When you wish, I will do what I can to return you to your home. I've been looking over the spell these past weeks, trying to figure out where it might have gone wrong and brought you here. In truth, I am not sure how easy it will be for me to perform the spell a second time, but I will try, when you wish to return. You held up your end of the bargain, I will honor mine."

Her head dipped lower, her hands coming up to the moonlight that filtered in. Her voice was low, a different tone than he'd ever heard her use. There was no mocking coquetry, no blind fury, no witty retorts. There simply was a dullness, a passivity that can only be spoken by one who has given up hope.

"It doesn't matter anymore."

He blinked in surprise, watched her turn her hands this way and that, as though studying them for some blemish no one but she could see.

"I can't go back. I can never go back. " He stood silently behind her, hands still on her shoulders, though his grip tightened somewhat. She continued as though he wasn't there, speaking in that same soft, desolately dreamy tone.

"It's taken me a long time to realize it, but what happened back at... back there, I finally realized it. Even if I could go back, there would be no place for me anymore. History has changed too much- I've changed too much. If I were to go back, who would recognize me? Who would say, 'Eä, we've missed you, what have you been doing with yourself all these years? Do you have time this weekend to go out and do something? There's a movie showing that looks awesome.'"

She laughed derisively. "My friends wouldn't recognize me, even in my old clothes, with my old hairstyle, my younger self they knew. I've changed too much." Magus sighed, aware of this from the beginning, but not willing to see her spark of hope go out completely.

"You can go back, and things will be fine. Not the same, never the same, but you'll be all right. You've become much stronger than that night we first met. You were a child then; you've matured quickly. But you are still the same person you always were, and will always be. You are still-"

"No!" she shouted, breaking from his grasp to go closer to the window, turning to face him. He saw the stains tears had left down her cheeks earlier, but her eyes were dry. She looked up at him for a moment, seemed to collect herself again, and turned around once more. She went back to looking at her hands.

"No," she said, softer this time, "I'm not the same person. My hands... They are too stained with blood. My soul and body are tainted with... what happened back.. back there. And my heart..." She hunched over, as though it pained her.

"Magus... When I saw those men attack you... When I saw your blood on their weapons, and knew that you had done that just for me... I knew I could never go back. I'm trying to be strong, but it's been so hard. I can't go back, not like this. I'm ruined, but I'm trying to rebuild what's left. Because... Because..."

Her hands fell to the scar that had been given to her by one of the men during the attack, her fingers clutching at it. She straightened, then turned to gaze at him once more; calm, cool, collected.

"Because no one back home would be able to understand why I did what I did, and why I would do it again. They wouldn't understand why I would want to remain here, even after all that's happened. They would expect me to run, to try to hide from all that I've done, and all that's been done to me. But I'm not going to. I want to stay here." He raised an eyebrow, though didn't speak up. The distance between them wasn't more than a few yards, but it seemed a chasm enough. She seemed to notice this as well, and took a halting step forward.

"Because I suddenly realized that if I was in the same situation again, even without what happened... after that... I would kill them again. And again. And again. " She stepped closer, then paused, studying him, trying to gauge his reaction.

"Because I wanted to kill anyone who might try to hurt you, and I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you."

Another step, another pause.

She was only a few feet from him now, though he remained silent, watching her, waiting. She seemed vulnerable, as though if she didn't spill out whatever she had to say, the emotions that were overflowing within her would drown her out; at the same time, if she said everything, she would be washed out, completely empty of any and everything. He watched her try to find a way to express herself without giving too much too soon, and waited for her to go on. She did.

"Because the very thought of losing you- leaving you- makes me sick, and life without you doesn't seem worth it. I know I'm... tainted, but I'm going to go on and live to spite them, and be stronger. But... I had hoped... " she stopped, looking up at him, guilt welling up inside of him again. He brought up his hands to hold her shoulders, afraid that any other contact would scare her away. He had to tell her why he'd done what he'd done, try to explain to her what didn't make sense to himself. But she relaxed into his touch, surprising him.

"I'd hoped that when we met again, you wouldn't turn me away, because if you did, it would have taken away the one thing that's helped me try to get over what happened. And you didn't. Thank you." He shook his head, looking down at her as she gave him a wavering smile. Once again, she'd been able to say the one thing he'd been least expecting. Thank him? After he'd left her to the whims of men who'd beaten and raped her, only coming to collect her when she'd died? His fists clenched as he fought the urge to shake her silly, tell her he wanted her angry with him, wanted her to be as furious with him as he was with himself

"Eä, why? Why don't you hate me? How can you thank me, when I'm the one responsible...?" She laughed, a sorrowful thing to hear, but she seemed to have some genuine feeling behind it.

"Because I've found that when you try to go against fate, it simply turns around and bites you, and I seem to have gotten my comeuppance. It's been in the works for some time... you aren't to blame for my own folly." She ducked her head for a moment, though she brought up a hand to lay over on of his. She clutched at it as she asked her next question.

"...you aren't disgusted with me, are you?"

"No. Iwould neverbe disgusted with you-"

"I don't want pity, either." He chuckled at the edge in her tone, turning up his hand to hold hers. He brought it down between them, giving her something to stare at, as she still hadn't raised her gaze.

"I'm not pitying you, Miss Dinn-"

"Don't call me that," she said sharply, her hand twitching in his grasp, "it's what they called me while they... Just Eä." He gently squeezed her hand, continuing where he left off.

"I'm not pitying you, Eä. I'm admiring your strength and will power. Not that we had any question as to your stubborn will." They both laughed at that, albeit quietly. Magus wondered how he'd ended up in such a sappy situation and wasn't drowning in the sweetness of it all, or at the very least gagging. Hell, he'd stew over that later. And if anyone interrupted them and found them in this current situation, he'd kill them on the spot to save his reputation. Simple as that.

"I just... after everything we went through on that crazy trip, I didn't want to find out whatever had happened had been lost." She looked up at him, smirking a little. "I was tempted to try to throw us into another time period, to see if I could seduce you by the end of it." She smiled at his look of surprise, stepping even closer, their bodies brushing slightly as she looked up at him again. Her eyes grew sorrowful again, her smile bittersweet. "I figured that when we came back here, we'd never speak of all the stupid things we went through again. Life here would go on as it always had, and nothing would change. But that night before we left the future... well, it made me realize something. To sound completely cheesy, wanton and exactly like the whore I swore I wasn't, I wanted my first time to be with you."

They were inches apart now, her breath falling softly on his cheeks.

"Because... I love you."

He gave no words in reply, but she drew him closer to deepen the kiss, hands going up to tangle in his hair. Later, as they moved further into the room, she knew that no place would ever be called "home" again unless it was by his side.

end chapter 28

_I deleted a scene here. It was too violent and graphic for me to bring myself to post... I mean, what I left is bad enough, right? If you really want to read what I've done, though, email me and I'll send the full bit to you... I swear, I'm not a violent person in nature, I just had to write a scene that explains why she acts the way she does later on... Ok, end of footnote _

_I'm just going to say one last thing, ere I leave you to your fuming and whatnot: I'M DOING WHAT I CAN TO FINISH THIS STORY AND GET IT OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE._

_I'm cutting a fair number of things out, just so I might be able to finish this thing within a reasonable amount of time, and still keep all the good storyline I've got planned. That means the original sequel will just be tacked on as the last few chapters, and the third tentative story idea I had won't happen, and I'll be posting as soon as I can. I've got other things I'm working on though, and fanfiction has to be pushed down on the priority list. I've got a job, school, and all sorts of other fun things to do... so please bear with me._

_Thank you all again for all of your encouragement and comments! Every time I got a new comment or email, it inspired me to keep on writing. Thank you all so much! I hope you'll stick with me until the very end- whenever that may be, and whatever that might bring. Until then. We'll just have to see!_

_SLS_


	28. Burning All Your Bridges

_**11-26-08: We're getting close to the end, my friends. Sorry for the delays; I make no excuses, so let's just get on with the show, shall we? Feel free to comment and tell me what a miserable bum I am, though. :) Happy Chrono Trigger re-release day!! Hurray for DS revivals! ~SLS**_

**Burning all your Bridges**

**Ch 28**

The cold stone froze her flesh, the dirt and grit digging into her back as she lay huddled on the prison floor. Eä gazed out into the darkness, confused, forcing herself to sit up and scan the shadows. Her body felt numb and heavy, the scars across her back throbbing in the chill of the room. But it wasn't the cold air that caused her shivers; the memories welling up inside made her body curl into itself instinctively. She sucked in breath, trying to calm her pounding heart, and tried to think things through rationally. How had she gotten back here? Hadn't she been rescued by Flea and Slash? Hadn't she already gone through months of slowly regaining her sanity? Hadn't she started on her way to recovery, admitting her feeling to Magus and finding a new place where she felt safe and secure? Was this just an illusion brought on by some sort of spell, or a dream brought on by the fact that she'd fallen asleep in Magus' arms? Was she dreaming?

The stones shuddered with the opening of the door, the light blinding her as she leaned against the wall. She squinted at the silhouette framed in the doorway, but the light blurred out the details of the man's face, only the edges of his attire being framed in a halo effect of the light. He stepped into the room, boots clicking on the stones, and stopped in front of her, still unrecognizable. She slowly made her way to a standing position against the wall, wary of any moves he would make. He simply stood there, though, staring at her through the gloom, and as she watched him, she began to relax.

The man in this dream- for that's what it was, she'd finally recognized it as such- seemed familiar to her, his form reminding her of someone she'd met long ago, but whose name slipped into the shadows of her memory. They watched each other; Eä waited for him to say something, but he just stood there, blocking the doorway. At last, after what could be minutes or hours, he moved away from the doorway, motioning her through. She hesitated only a moment before running through the door- even if it was only a dream, she'd never again willingly stay in Guardia Castle for any amount of time.

She broke through the doorway into a cold winter landscape, the snow piled against the wall as she stumbled out into the flurry of flakes. She peered behind her to see if the man who'd opened the door for her had followed, and he had, but his hood was drawn over his face, and his cloak obscured the rest of him. Still, however, she thought she knew him, and felt oddly safe in his presence, allowing herself to relax as she examined the surrounding scenery.

She looked around, finding them alone in the snowy town, and turned back once more to speak to the man who'd freed her. But the hood had been thrown back, and she froze, seeing the blonde hair framing a strong, square face with cool blue eyes. Though his flesh was paler than she remembered, and there was an ethereal feeling of distance surrounding him, the familiar steely blue eyes of Cyrus were watching her, a sorrowful expression on his face. She stared at him, confused, surprised that while she was happy to see him, she didn't feel any of the old warmth she used to feel around him. She stepped forward, reaching her hand towards his cheek. But he flinched as she neared him, and she froze inches from his face, then pulled back her hand stare at it in horror.

Blood dripped from her hands, rolling down her fingers and caking along the edge of the knife she held in her hand. She frowned down at it, wondering how it had gotten into her hands, feeling even more confused. The now-familiar ache of the scars on her back pulsed with her heartbeat, but she knew she wasn't bleeding, so where was the blood coming from? Her eyes moved down the blade to the pool gathering at her feet, and she met the gaze of Ark, face blue and hair frozen stiff, the blood oozing from underneath him the only contrast in color in this wintry landscape. She stumbled backwards, only to trip over bodies that lay covered in a thin layer of snow. Disturbed by her movement, the corpses of the men and mystics alike that she'd slain lay sprawled around her, blank eyes staring up at her, gaping mouths frozen open in silent screams. She looked down at them, bile rising in her throat, then looked up at Cyrus, only to find him shaking his head. He gave her a resentful look, then put his helmet on, turning back towards the castle doorway, his heavy boots leaving no trace in the snow.

"Cyrus!" She cried out, throwing away the knife and running towards him. "Cyrus, I had to! They were going to kill us! I didn't want to kill any of them! Please, Cyrus, you have to believe me!" He didn't pause in his steady march towards the door, and she fought against the rising wind, attempting to catch up with him. But her foot snagged, and she looked down as she felt the cold fingers of Ark grip her ankle. He was mouthing something, using his other finger to point behind her, but she couldn't collect her wits enough to make out what he was saying. She yanked her foot out of his grasp, only to see the other corpses rising as well, their ashen faces splashed with blood, but their swords were bright and clean, glinting in an ethereal light. The only one who looked remotely alive was Tom, his face flushed with anger, the scar she'd given him a startling white against his reddened complexion. He snarled out curses at her, raising his sword to smite her down as she scrambled in the snow for the knife she'd dropped.

"Cyrus! Please! Believe me!"

Tom's sword whistled down towards her, but strong arms pulled her away from the path of the blade, and she fell back panting, trembling in the arms that held her fast. She blinked away tears to find herself in darkness, the heat of the blankets almost stifling, and the arms around her unyielding to her struggles against them. She gulped in shuddering breaths, the taste of the nightmare's blood coppery in her mouth, her ankle numb where Ark has grabbed her. She shivered again, the arms tightening around her, and she forced herself to relax into the embrace, clutching at Magus' shoulders as he held her. She curled into his chest, softly sobbing as she tried to will the images away. He simply held her, resting his cheek against her head.

They lay like that for some time, the silence of the room peaceful belying the chilling and oppressing darkness. Magus shifted so that they both sat up, then scooped her up to walk over to the fireplace, never letting go of her as he sat them back down on the sofa. With a flick of his finger, a fire burbled into life, and after several minutes, the soothing crackling of the wood calmed her sobs to sighs of sleep. Magus watched her as she slept, the stains from tears drying in the flickering light, and he shifted her to a more comfortable position with her head in his lap. When he saw her settle back down, he sighed, conjuring a drink for himself.

He wasn't a saint, for gods' sakes. When she'd come out and boldly propositioned herself to him, he would not have denied he had been tempted to take up her offer. In fact, they'd gotten to a point where he figured there would be no turning back, but when he'd accidentally touched one of her scars, she stiffened at his touch. It was only through murmured coaxing and several drinks that he got her to relax again, and by that time, any ardor either of them had entertained had cooled. She had been clutching at her drink, trembling, and when he moved to cover her with a blanket, she suddenly blurted out the memory which had stopped her cold. Consequently, through the rest of the evening she told him bits and pieces of what had occurred while she clung to his shoulder. What he heard disgusted him, but he made no noises other than soothing murmurs for her sake. If he showed some of the anger he felt towards the knights, she would, in her over-emotional state, think he was angry with her, and would withdraw from him, and then they'd be back to where they'd started or things might become even worse. She'd fallen asleep in his arms, curled against him and holding onto him with a death grip. But apparently discussing the memories only brought on worse nightmares, and it had taken him several minutes to wake her.

Which brought them to where they were now. A sleeping girl and a frustrated magician. Even thoughts of what he'd do to any knights he came across didn't help take his mind off of the fact that it would be a very long time before he could convince Eä to be intimate. Patience. Patience was the answer. And alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol. He glowered into his cup when he found he'd already drunk the entire glass without really noticing it, and refilled it with the decanter beside his glass, sighing while he stared into the fire. What a way to spend an evening.

He sighed and slouched as much as he could in his position, glaring into the fire, absently running his fingers through Eä's hair. She, in turn, murmured into his shoulder and pressed herself further into his embrace, which only brought back to his attention the increasing problem of their situation. Muttering curses under his breath, he was contemplating casting a sleep spell upon himself to create a temporary solution, but his thoughts were interrupted when he saw a glowing flicker of green to the side of the hearth.

Sipping at his glass, he watched the orange tabby stalk out of the shadows and lie down in front of the flames, cleaning one delicate paw while watching the pair out of his eye. Magus didn't say anything, not wanting to wake Eä after she'd finally gotten back to deep sleep. The cat didn't say anything for some time either, and so the two listened to the crackle of the fire in companionable silence, Magus musing on where the animal had gone for the evening, and who knew what was going through the cat's mind. But when Eä shifted again, and Magus's attention was unavoidably brought back to the fact that she'd fallen asleep only to nestle close to some sensitive areas, the cat finally broke the silence.

_~You know, you could wake her up and ask her again. She's dreaming about you right now, and if you were to interrupt her slumber, she might want to pick up where you left off.~_

Magus peered down at the cat, raising an eyebrow, wondering not for the first time about the animal.

"How do you know that, Cat?" He kept his voice low, returning to his absent minded petting of Eä's hair. Where the hell did the beast come from, and how did it know what she was dreaming about? He seemed a normal enough creature, so why was it that not only could it somehow telepathically communicate with those who knew a high-level spell and had the magic to back it up, but could also mind-read to boot? The only explanation he could come up with was the fact that Cyrus was connected to Eä. It seemed that everything connected to the girl was weird. That's just the way things were around her, and it surprised him how easily that answer put to rest his questions.

~_I can just tell. She's calmed down since she found out it was you holding her, and her sleep is restful, which is usually a good indication that she's dreaming about you. Besides, she smells content, and lately she's only been giving off that scent when you're about. Take that as you will. Just do me a favor– if you're going to engage in anything, be sure to keep the door open so I can leave you to your privacy. Plenty of places around here where I can find a nice napping spot.~_

Magus raised an eyebrow, looking down at the girl in his lap. Tempting as it was to give in and wake her, take advantage of whatever dream she was having and kill several birds with one stone, he didn't feel right doing that. If she was truly content, then that probably meant that this was the first real sleep she'd gotten in some time, and he wasn't about to disturb that. Cyrus didn't give him time to reply, however. Instead, the cat jumped onto the sleeping girl, startling her from her sleep, and she muttered something under her breath as she rubbed sleep from her eyes. Eä stared down at the cat, who meowed plaintively, allowing her to scratch behind an ear for a moment before he jumped down and sauntered out of the room. She blinked after the cat, then turned to Magus, blearily looking up at him.

"Did he wake me up just for the hell of it, or was he just trying to get back at me for not falling asleep with him by my side tonight?" Magus blinked, somewhat surprised.

"Didn't he say something snarky to you before he left? He hardly ever leaves without trying to get the last word in edgewise." She frowned at the shadows the cat had melted into, chewing her lip in irritation.

"No. He hardly ever says anything to me anymore. Mostly it's normal cat noises, maybe a snide remark here and there, but it's more and more...." she drifted off, worrying her lip some more. " I don't know. It's hard to describe.... It just seems like he's acting more and more like his old self– I mean, the lazy house cat I had back home, not the magically talking cat he's come to be. He sounded normal to you?" Her brows furrowed deeper at his nod. "Hm. Maybe I did something to piss him off. Oh well, I'll ask him later. Anyway, now that I'm up, I've wanted to ask you something for a while, and it just came back to me, thinking about Cyrus."

He flinched as he heard the name come from her lips. He had no qualms about the cat, but that's what he called it, Cat. He didn't want to bring back any memories of the dead knight for either himself or Eä. He'd done what he'd had to do, and she'd been devastated. No sense in bringing up old wounds for either of them. But he had to wonder, looking at her as she gazed into the fire, which she meant, cat or human.

"What is it you've been meaning to ask me?" he asked, trying not to stare at the bare flesh that was revealed as the blanket slid from one of her shoulders. She didn't seem to notice it, though; transfixed by the flames, her thoughts seemed to wander from whatever question she'd meant to ask, and her expression had taken on a pensively sorrowful look. He hoped she wasn't going to start crying again. More crying meant more tears, which meant more cuddling and more soothing, which meant more physical contact, which brought back the problem that had forced him to move from the bed to the fireside in the first place. Forcing down those thoughts, he took her chin in his fingers and gently turned her head towards him.

"Eä?" She flushed, realizing she'd zoned out for a moment, and gave him a small smile, a ghost of those beaming grins she'd used to sport.

"What time is it?" she asked, looking up at him. He blinked, trying to figure out where this was going, but gave up, remembering his earlier 'weird' conclusion.

"It's several hours before dawn, if that is what you mean. Is that all you wanted to ask me?" She shook her head, running fingers through her slightly-mussed hair.

"No, it's just... I want to go somewhere." He raised an eyebrow at that, his head cocked slightly.

"'Go somewhere'? Eä, where do you want to go that can't wait until morning? Unless– " he broke off, realizing she'd shifted her gaze again. She was still looking up at him, but it seemed like she was gazing through him more than anything else. Her eyes were sad, but they didn't hold tears. Just regret, and perhaps even a little fear. He suddenly thought he might know where she wanted to go, and why at such an ungodly hour, but for the love of Jove he didn't know why she'd want to go _there_. He shifted the hand still holding her chin to rest his palm against her cheek, bringing her eyes back into focus.

"Eä, what possible reason would you want to go to the castle– ?" She shook her head, cutting him off, though it was more the pallor her face had taken on than anything else that quieted him.

"No, not there. Another castle, but... in a human settlement. Or at least, near enough that I'd rather go when there wouldn't be a possibility of running into any of the townsmen. I can't remember if they're allied with Guardia or not, but most humans don't like those who bear the mark of the Magus, so...." She trailed off, shrugging. Magus tried to think of any other castles in the area, but came up with a blank.

"There aren't any other castles that I know if that are still in use. Only Guardia, this castle, and Ozzie's keep. What place were you thinking of?" She shifted to face him more fully, his hand dropping to bring up the blanket before she revealed more than she'd be comfortable to show. Her hand fell on top of his, and she held it loosely, smiling slightly more.

"There's something I need to do in the ruins of the castle to the north east of here. I know you won't let me go alone– "

"Absolutely out of the question."

"– so I was hoping you'd come with me and help me get to where I need to be, then wait for me while I do what I need to. I.... I don't think what I need to do will take too long. I just need to go there." She was starting to get that far-off look again, so he kept her focused on the conversation.

"What do you need to do there? There's nothing there except ghosts and rotting masonry." She sighed, her smile fading.

"I need to get rid of a skeleton in my closet," she said, looking away. Her voice grew soft, as though the end of the sentence was only to herself.

"I need to say goodbye."

"Are you sure this is absolutely necessary? When you said you needed to get rid of a skeleton in your closet, I had no idea you were speaking literally. What on earth do you need in a haunted castle?" Magus sniffed derisively and nudged a pile of bones with his boot, holding a handkerchief to his nose as they traversed the rotting hallways. Eä coughed at the dust he'd disturbed, looking over her shoulder to glare.

"Do you mind? In this place, it doesn't take a lot to wake the dead, and you're making a fine racket. Quiet, I need to figure out where the stairs are." She turned aside again and continued her slow and methodical search, once again cursing the fact that there was more to this castle than in the game version she knew. What she hadn't realized was that there was a reason why the party never leapt over what seemed to be small piles of rubble and little pot holes. The broken walls piled nearly to the ceiling in some places, and in other areas the floor had crumbled away for ten feet, sinking into a gaping dark hole. Magus had had to pull her from falling into some of these more than once, as the stone, wood, and mortar beneath their feet had softened with the passing of time. When she'd almost brought a wall down upon them, Magus snapped, muttering under his breath, and scooped her up again, casting a levitating spell so they could float the rest of the way.

"This would be far easier if you told me what we were looking for, Eä," he intoned again as they glided along. She sighed, watching their path as the dim corridors came into view before fading back into the blackness. Every so often, she thought she'd see a ghost, but luckily she was traveling with someone who was creepy enough to scare the dead and kept them at bay. Or, at the very least, they respected his power, and appreciated not being destroyed by the necromancer. She wondered, not for the first time, if she should be worried that creepy things like undead skeletons were afraid of her companion, but the thought was quickly lost when she saw a familiar hall.

"Wait! Magus, I think this is it! Turn here." She waved in the direction of the dark hall, and Magus slowed, stopping completely when he saw the enormous hole that kept them from the heavy wooden door at the other end of the room. He put her down and crossed his arms, waiting as she stared at the pit in front of them.

"As great as my talents are, I don't think I can make it across the gap with both of us. Whatever inane thought that led you here will have to end here as well, because unless you can-" he ducked as the grip she held on the beam slipped, the wooden plank coming within inches of his head. "Dammit, woman, you-!"

"Help me with this," she interrupted," I think I can bridge it and get in this way. Can you support this end while I go across?" He stared at her as she grunted and shoved the beam into place, just making the lip of the hole. She smiled as she surveyed her handiwork, then turned to him again. "Shall we?"

He shook his head as she crossed a bit too quickly for his tastes, halting at the great door and staring at it for a moment. She turned to him as he floated over to her side, then looked back at the door, her momentary cheer gone.

"On the other side of this door is a grave. Well, a monument, really, but the ghost of the soldier to whom it's dedicated rests here. I need to... I just want to... Could you wait out here for me, while I go ahead?" She turned to look up at him again, her eyes pleading and wide, though serious. He blinked, then pushed the door open.

"No."

She stared after him as he pressed forward, her lips growing thin as she bit down an angry comment. He continued to walk, however, exploring the inner sanctum of the tomb, until he was sure that it was empty of wayward spirits. Upon finishing his inspection of the room, he walked over to the large slab that stood proudly in the center of the room, reading the name on the grave. He stood there for several moments, staring at the stone. Then, wordlessly, he turned and went out the door, leaving Eä alone in the room with the tomb of Cyrus.

As Magus left the room, Eä knelt before the large obelisk, her eyes once more tearing up at the memory of her dream. The Cyrus in her dream had been so cold, so… cruel. It wasn't like him at all. Still, in order to move ahead with her life, she'd have to try to come to terms with his disapproval, even if his ghost wouldn't show up for her. She reached up, touched the carved letters in the heavy stone. Sighing, she bowed her head.

"I'm sorry I never got to properly say goodbye to you," she said at last. "I was so intent on warning you, I didn't even think about what would happen if I failed. And then I did." She laughed, softly, then looked at the stone again.

"I'm not asking you to forgive me for what I did. I'm not sorry, no more than you were sorry when you slaughtered mystics in battle, or when you drugged me to make me stay put. I did what I had to do, played the role that I was fated to play. Maybe I did the wrong thing. Maybe not. But I don't have to answer to you. I don't owe you an apology, nor do I expect you to forgive me. I'll live with the consequences of what I did, and continue to do what I think is best. I'm not asking for your blessing, just that you allow me to live my life, and let me put the past behind me. I can't keep living in regret." She bowed her head again, resting her head against the cool dusty stone and closing her eyes.

"_I never asked you to dwell on the past."_

Eä raised her head, and the watery image of Cyrus stood behind the stone. He strode forward, removing his helmet to get a better look at her. She smiled gently, sitting back to look him in the eye. He was giving her that gentle smile he had when he'd kissed her goodbye, looking serene and heroic.

"Cyrus…" she breathed, swallowing repeatedly to stem the threatening tears. He came to stand in front of her, kneeling down to eye level.

"_I never asked you to dwell on the past,"_ he repeated, "_I only asked you to think about your actions before you charged ahead. Look at the trouble you've gotten yourself into."_ His eyes didn't move, but they seemed chillier, and Eä could tell that he was well aware of the person who waited outside of the room, and that he didn't approve. His somewhat patronizing tone fueled her anger through her tears.

"You have no right to judge me!" she shouted at him, feeling foolish but feeling it had to be said. "I've done what I had to so that I could survive in this place! You've seen what happens to people who aren't accepted by society. You know what happened to _me,_" she spit this last word out, but continued on. "Right now, I'm safer with Magus than anywhere else. And don't start complaining about me being fickle and bedding the enemy as soon as you were gone, because you know it's not like that, and it never was. I was fond of you. I still care for you, and losing you meant I lost the only person on this god-forsaken planet who truly cared for me enough to risk your own life. I know that." She trailed off, lowering her gaze.

"I know that you loved me. And maybe, if things had been different… but they weren't. You died. And I've been coping and trying to survive. Don't blame me for living my life. And don't blame Magus, he killed you because he had to. You would have done the same thing, if you could have gotten to him first, and you wouldn't have felt remorse, would you? What he did to Glenn was… it was terrible, but what remains is best left between the two of them. I have no basis for judgment. And neither do you." She broke off, realizing her words sounded like she was trying to convince herself as much as Cyrus, but to her surprise, he laughed. She looked up at him once more.

"_I'm glad to see that part of you is still the same, Eä. While I do not share your feelings towards the warlock, I agree that things went according to fate. And I don't blame you for what you've done, so much as I ask you to think about the future. Your position in this place is unique, and with that role comes certain responsibilities. I believe that while you've tried your best to do what you think is right, perhaps you might stop banging your head against the wall. There are other ways to get things done. I think you recognize that, too, if you'd only let yourself see it. You know what I'm talking about,"_ he said, staring directly into her eyes. She flinched under that stern gaze, a thrill of cold going up her spine as she thought of Doreen's warning. His eyes softened, and he stood, turning from her.

"_It's true, I loved you_," he said simply, "_and I'll continue to do so, even after all things have faded into the mists of time. Would that fate had turned out differently… but it's of no consequence now. Promise me, Eä, that you'll live, and be happy. That's all I ever really wanted of you._" He turned and looked at her, replacing the helmet on his head, eyes crinkling at the edges.

"_Remain true to your heart, and know that I will watch over you always."_

Eä blinked as he began to fade from view. "C-Cyrus! Wait! I have so many things I want to say-!"

He shook his head, a mere outline. "_I know, Eä… I know. But…I'll ..watch… you... Goodbye_." The last visage of the noble knight faded from view, and she was left hugging the stone for support, sobbing into her shoulder. She gulped to try to control herself, emotions roiling within her.

"Goodbye," she managed when she had breath enough to speak. The soft word echoed around the empty room; she was alone once more.

Magus said nothing when she came from the small room, despite the fact that she looked a mess with a tearstained face and watery red eyes. She knew he'd heard most of what had been said. While he knew it was rude to listen, he wasn't about to let her stay out of earshot in a place filled with more sorrow and despair than the cliffs of Mount Woe. So he heard what had been said between the two. He was fairly sure the knight had been vague on purpose, but it was of no consequence. However, he was relieved to see that she seemed to have more energy than she had going into the ruins. If she felt she had needed to do this, he wasn't about to begrudge her the only request she'd made in months.

He watched her shivering form as she stumbled out of the room, scrubbing away the last remains of tears. She'd cried a good deal of the time, and she looked absolutely miserable, but he didn't feel that he could infringe upon her as she mourned the loss of her friend once again. He knew what it was like not to be able to properly say goodbye to those you loved– how many times had he wondered what he'd say if he'd be given only one chance to tell Schala everything?– and so he respected her desire to be left alone. She gave no indication of caring that he'd been right outside the door, no sign that she sought comfort from him, so he offered none. But the thought of teleporting them both back to the sure-to-be-cold castle, and letting her return to her own room alone while in this state didn't sit well with him, so when he walked over to grab her waist to teleport, it was to a very different location.

It took Eä several minutes to realize that they hadn't returned to the castle, nor any place she could recognize in the gloom of the early morning darkness. She peered up quizzically at him, though he shook his head, simply moving her towards the mouth of the cave. The sun still hadn't risen, and the air was chilly, the winter chill still present in the early spring air. The cave also looked remarkably inviting. There was no indication that anything living came in or out of it, but the entrance emitted a soft glow, and a warm breeze wafted from the mouth. Again, she looked up at him, but he guided her forward, and they entered together, scent of flowers tickling their noses.

Eä, despite her retrospective gloom, felt her heart lift as she realized they were in the Singing Mountain cave, a warm grotto similar to the sun cave. She hadn't visited it in some time, and the corners of her lips tugged at the memory of a very peeved Magus coming to find her sunbathing in the beam of light what seemed ages ago, but had really only been a few years. How funny that he would bring them here, and yet how thankful she was that they were there.

The cave had changed little in her absence; the small flowers still dotted the area bathed in sunlight, the warm glow of the magical light still emitted a golden warmth that touched both body and mind. She closed her eyes and breathed in the sweet air, letting a smile flicker across her face. She then turned to look at Magus where he strode into the beam of light. He didn't say a word, simply conjured some furs and blankets to cover the heated circle of light, then motioned her over. She sat, soaking in the delicious feeling of the sunlight, and closed her eyes.

"Thank you. How did you know this is exactly what I needed?" She could hear the slight smile in his reply.

"I simply didn't think either of us were ready to return back home yet. Besides, you are always happiest when you're in the light. Returning to the dark would have been cruel."

She sighed, the smile wavering a little. It was true; darkness meant dreams, and she couldn't take any more dreams tonight. The last one was still too vivid in her mind. She wondered what it meant when she could look upon the faces of people she's killed, friends she'd lost, and people who were close to her, and their ghastly expressions couldn't instill the same sort of sadness as a dream of a mundane morning in a halcyon life.

_When he'd come into the small room, kissed her sweetly and then placed a hand on her slightly rounded stomach, she'd wanted to sob, crying like she had before when she realized that this was a new kind of nightmare. One where she wouldn't want to wake up, knowing that when she returned to reality, she'd just be returning to a place where she was living on borrowed time. And when the dream had shifted, and she'd seen what it would be like to live in complete and utter bliss, knowing she could have everything she could ever possibly want if she simply ignored her promise to Doreen and FATE. She wondered if she could really go through with her promise, and wondered what else could be done if she dared go against her word. _

_But at the end of that dream, before Cyrus had woken her up, she'd been lying next to Magus, and he'd brought her close to his chest, one hand cradling her while the other again returned to her stomach. She lifted her face to brush her lips with his, and he'd whispered goodbye to her. _

Eä lurched forward, realizing she'd fallen asleep again while sitting in the sun. She was leaning against Magus, the blankets brought up around them to create a cocoon of heat, like a furry nest on the stone floor. He shifted as she sat up, and they gazed at each other in silence. In the back of her mind, Cyrus' words echoed.

"_Promise me, Eä, that you'll live, and be happy. That's all I ever really wanted of you."_

She smiled as she remembered the understanding in Cyrus' face, and leaned forward to bring a hand to Magus' cheek. He said nothing, simply watching her. Her smile grew stronger as she felt him lean into her touch without seeming to notice it.

"Thank you," she whispered, stroking her thumb over a smooth cheekbone, brushing away errant strands that fell into his face. He nodded slowly, bringing up his own hands to rest at her shoulders. She closed her eyes again, willing herself to find the strength to do what she was about to do. She pushed away memories of other distant stone floors, the cries of men who fell by her blade, the echoes of her own voice promising she would break away as soon as she could. And she would, she knew she'd have to, but for now, she'd live in the moment. Fuck FATE, anyway.

"Magus," she said, her voice strong and clear, a hint of mischievousness harkening back to earlier days inflected in her tone. He blinked down at her, taken aback. The shimmering light was hypnotic, and he'd gone into a trance again while staring at her. He figured she wouldn't mind, seeing as she hadn't bothered to open her eyes yet, and she seemed remarkably chipper, considering only two hours ago she'd had to say goodbye to and let go of a former boyfriend for the second time.

"Yes?" was his witty response. Her smile grew, and he found himself looking into the eyes of an Eä he'd not seen in some time. He found himself smirking as she grinned up at him.

"Do you think you can seal the cave's entrance for a little while? Just so that no one can come in or out, or see anything going on inside?" He froze, wondering if she was thinking what he thought she was thinking. The prospect made his heart thud in his ears, and blood rush south. Trying to keep his voice matter-of-fact was much more difficult than he'd anticipated.

"I believe I can do that, Eä." Her grin grew wider.

"Good. Because I think we're going to want some privacy for a bit."

* * *

The trio looked up as Magus and Eä came into the room, the former looking rather smug and satisfied, the latter grinning like an idiot and humming under her breath. The three mystics gaped in silence as she turned to Magus, stood up on tip-toe, gave him a peck and skipped down the hall towards her chambers. Magus, for his part, watched the show with an appreciative eye before turning to his horror-struck generals. He raised an eyebrow at them, glared at them as though to dare them to ask what the couple had been doing, then headed off towards his study.

The trio remained absolutely still for several minutes after the shock and horror had sufficiently worn off enough to enable the act of speech. Ozzie looked at the other two, a slightly yellow shade of green.

"...Did I just see what I thought I saw? Please tell me I'm mistaken." Slash, a similarly yellowed shade of purple, grimaced, looking queasy.

"I'm going to pretend I hallucinated it." Flea sighed in exasperation, putting her hands on her hips.

"Honestly," she said," it's like you two have no romantic bones in your body. It's so sickeningly wrong it's cute! Besides, things will be better now that they're over whatever it was that was between them. And as long as I don't have to hear it, and it doesn't hinder their work, who are we to say what they should be doing? You two need to grow up." And with that, she flounced down the hall, skipping to an off-key whistled tune.

"Ugh. Women," was all Slash muttered as he went to go find something to help him burn out his eyes. Ozzie pondered both of their responses for a moment before realizing something.

"So, wait, Flea IS a woman?"

* * *

Eä smiled across the room at Magus, watching him as he intently studied the book in front of him. He frowned at the yellowing pages and scribbled letters, gently flipping the pages as he searched for... well, whatever it was he was searching for. She hadn't really paid attention when he'd mentioned it; the spell had sounded long and tedious and so advanced she'd never have a hope in successfully casting it, so she hadn't bothered to listen to the details. She'd said she wouldn't bother him as he worked and had sat down to join him as he read. However, considering the only books he kept in his study were spell books, she was quickly growing bored, and had thus given up all together on reading, and instead doodled on some miscellaneous sheets of paper.

She'd filled an entire side of the page with sketches of Cyrus chasing rats, and had moved on to caricatures of the various mystics in the castle. Then, growing tired of drawing Ozzie as a toad and Flea as a naga, she'd moved on to the wizard sitting a few feet from her. In order to make the image more lifelike, she'd looked up from time to time to get the proportions right, but soon found she was staring at him more than drawing, so she gave up on that too. Instead, she let her mind wander, the niggling thoughts of the future pressing forward when there was nothing else to keep them at bay. She gave a small sigh, which made Magus look up from his reading. She blushed a little, realizing she'd been staring at him the entire time she'd been thinking. Not surprising, because she'd been thinking mostly about him, but still. Amused, he raised an eyebrow, page delicately poised between two fingers.

"Care to share your thoughts with me, Eä? I can hardly guess what's going through that devious mind of yours." He carefully bookmarked his page, then set the tome aside, leaning back and stretching. He gave a contented sigh as his fingers cracked, then he relaxed back into the lounge, studying her. She smiled back at him, resting her chin on her folded fingers.

"I was just thinking about old times, and what the future will bring, that's all," she replied. She let the sentence hang, and abruptly broke eye contact, getting up to stand by the window. "How long have we known each other?" she asked, although her eyes were focused on the courtyards below. Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't speak again.

Magus was somewhat confused. He was used to her mercurial mood swings, and always enjoyed goading her on when she was angry. But this tone was odd. It was light, almost cheerful, but… off. There was something in the way she asked that put him on edge, and he leaned forward, suspicious. Was she about to go off on another crazy adventure? She'd seemed content enough, especially since they'd started making frequent trips to the cave, but there was a new undercurrent in her manner. There was something restless about her. She stood perfectly still, but Magus recognized it as one of her typical flight patterns. Look like she's perfectly sensible, but then run off and do something absolutely vapid that required him to extricate her from trouble. She turned then, and smiled at him. While this put him on guard even further, she crossed the room and sat down beside him.

"It's been a little over 9 years, right? Give or take a few time traveling jaunts in between, that's how long we've known each other," she answered her own question, leaning on his shoulder. Magus was a bit leery of this position sometimes. Although with many other women, this contact meant trust, desire to be close, and possible invitation to sex, for Eä, it meant she was trying to keep her face from his view, meaning she didn't want him to see her expression, meaning she was up to something.

"Yes…" he replied, craning his neck to look down at her, unsure of what this tactic meant for him. He relaxed a bit when she smiled up and him, and they leaned closer. He was pretty sure he knew which signal _this_ was, and he would be happy enough to respond to it.

"Sooo… I was just thinking it's been a long time." Magus stared at her smiling face, then he stilled, understanding flooding his thoughts. Of course, she'd acted normal enough the first month of their actual "relationship", such as it was, but then she'd started acting funny, and now he finally realized why. Damn! Women were so bloody devious sometimes, and now, if he tried to gently persuade her to think further on it, she'd sulk, and he'd be sleeping alone until he did what she wanted him to. He sighed, bringing up a hand to rub at his temples. When had he, Prince Janus of Zeal, the Magus who ruled the mystics, fallen into such a sorry and soft state? It was worse than pathetic, it was debilitating and humiliating.

"Eä…" he started carefully, weighing his words carefully as he continued, "I hate to think that I gave you any false impressions over these last few months. I mean, I care for you very much, but-"

"What the hell are you talking about?" she interrupted. Then, her eyebrows raised, and she laughed, burying her face in his chest. "M-My god," she gasped through her giggles, "I'm not asking you to marry me. So get rid of that ridiculous expression; you look like I asked you if you wanted to watch Slash and Flea make out." He let out his breath, feeling immensely better. Not that he'd never considered having a life, it was simply that he had too many other obligations. Sex was fun, and he enjoyed Eä's company, but he'd always have other duties, and those would, usually, come before sex. Certainly before marriage, if he considered it. Which he didn't. He always assumed Eä understood that; apparently, she did.

"No, look, what I'm trying to say is… it's been almost 10 years. A lot of things have changed in that time. We've changed. Some of those changes have been really great." At this, she gave him a lascivious grin, "last night's change was very nice. But other changes… haven't been good. Magus, when's the last time you tried to raid a village? Burn down Guardia Castle? Take over the world?" Magus stopped, pondering this line of thought. It was true, they'd been more or less plodding along, neither advancing or retreating, but he wasn't sure what that had to do with anything. She sighed, sliding onto his lap and holding his face between her hands.

"Magus," she said softly, "you're _The Magus_. If you stop now, the mystics will lose faith. They're already restless and getting irritated. Right now, it's just at the humans, but take too long to do something, and it will be you. Your _know_ this, I know, but… think about it. Why have you stopped fighting?"

"We haven't stopped," he said somewhat irritably, "we're just regrouping and reassessing our moves. We'll attack again-"

"And you'll get foiled because there's a spy in your ranks," Eä said, interrupting. She sighed, and scooted forward. "I know you've been worried about your plans leaking out. I know you don't want more mystics to die than are necessary, if only so that your army remains strong. So, I want to help you. I'm not good at much else, at this point, but I want to help you out. Take it as my whatever-year anniversary gift to you, or as a 'thanks for the great sex' kind of thing. Please let me do this for you, Magus, so that you don't have to worry anymore."

She seemed oddly mature then, and Magus was suddenly reminded of the first time he'd met her, those many years ago at the ball. How irritating she'd been, how spirited, how mysterious, and how _young_. They'd both been little more than children then. They'd both changed, and this woman in front of him had changed most of all. He wondered how else she would change with time. He wondered if she'd still be there for him to find out. And, although there was no logistical reason for him to imagine it, he felt as though she was trying to say something important to him, and he just couldn't for the life of him tell what that was. It was like saying goodbye after pledging vows of eternal love, a thought that made him sad. He pushed that thought aside, realizing how foolish it was, and that she really was concerned for him. This mature, delightful woman understood him, and the only thing she asked for was a way to help him. There was sure to be some other motive as well, and he'd get it out of her in one way or another, but for the moment, he felt grateful for her presence and her offer. He leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers.

"I leave it to you, then," he said, and she beamed at him, leaning forward to kiss him. After a moment, he pulled back, and studied her. "If this is an anniversary gift, what is it that you expect from me?"

"Well…" she said, drawing out the word and waving her hand around. "I already have the ring you gave me, so I don't really need any other jewelry." She ducked her head, and looked at him from under her lashes. "But there was that whole "great sex" thing…" He grinned, bringing her closer again.

"I think I can help you with that," he replied.

Magus awoke hours later, the shadows of twilight casting purple clouds of darkness within his room. He took a deep breath and blew it out, comfortably relaxed and still somewhat asleep. He turned to look for Eä, but she wasn't in the bed. Even the damn cat was gone, although he noticed a few stray golden tufts of fur at the end of the bed. No doubt she'd taken the cat and retired to her own chambers to clean herself and dress. No matter. Guessing by the shadows, it was probably close to dinner, and he could see her then. Taking his time, he started to redress, enjoying the lingering effects of the afternoon. Eä hadn't been exaggerating in her descriptions.

He was preparing to leave for his study when a sharp rap on the door shook him out of his warm daze. He answered it to find Slash, the mystic's lips in a tight frown, his expression fierce. The swordsman's eyes scanned the room, and his frown deepened. He returned his gaze to Magus. "There's something you need to see," said his general, and Magus stiffened, reaching for his scythe. When the mystic spoke in that tone, it meant that all hell had broken loose.

They made their way down the stone hall, Slash refusing to speak as Magus tried to question him. The mystic simply said "You just have to see it for yourself, only you can figure this one out." Magus wondered what the hell that was supposed to mean, and if Eä would eat without him if he was late, or if she'd wait for him in the study, reading or drawing, or doing some other innocuous thing. He wanted to ask her what she planned to do to catch the spy that no one else had found; he'd been a bit too preoccupied to ask her before.

He realized he was still half asleep when it hadn't occurred to him that they were walking towards a very familiar section of the castle. "The dungeon?" he asked Slash, but the mystic simply gave a curt nod. When they reached the heavy doors, Magus saw Flea standing there, the mage looking pale and surprisingly unkempt. She looked to Slash, who simply opened the door, and the two followed Magus down the stairs.

Magus wasn't sure what he was looking for, but things seemed off in this dismal section of the castle. There was an odd, underlying smell, but he wasn't sure what it was. Then, as he continued towards the farther end of the hall, it hit him: blood. Granted, there was always a scent of blood in a place where prisoners were kept, but the scent was strong, as though someone had recently lost a large amount of blood. Magus turned back to his generals, who were in quiet discussion. Flea was shaking her head, and Slash's fingers played on the pommel of his sword.

"Which room am I looking for?" he asked. Slash nodded towards the last door, and Magus strode forward, reaching out to open the thick metal door.

Surprisingly enough, the blood was pooled in only a small portion of the room. The corpse's face was ashen, some blood trickling out of her mouth, but the expression was relaxed, as though in sleep. Of course, the wound in her neck made it obvious that she was in a deeper sleep than one any could wake her from, and the stake through her heart doubly attested to the body's condition. Attached to the stake was a note, the edges stained with blood. As Magus reached for the note, Slash nodded at the stake.

"She was dead before that thing went through her, if that gives you any comfort. But then, if what the note says is true, perhaps it's not comfort at all."

Magus silently read the brief note that was attached.

_J-_

_Doreen contacted me, and told me everything; Miri confirmed. I did what was necessary, so that you didn't have to. Her contact is trapped in the cave, he'll confirm as well. I suggest you strike. Time to burn some of those bridges, I think. I'm doing the same. But they say time can mend bridges, too, so maybe we'll cross paths once more. For that, I'd be willing to wait until the end of time._

_All my Love,_

_~E_

Magus crumpled the note, staring at the corpse of his late head-maid, then spoke through clenched teeth.

"Where is she?" Slash shook his head.

"No trace. We're still looking, but there was a massive flux of magic some time ago. We sent a few soldiers to check it out, but by the time they got there, the trail was cold." The swordsman stared at the dead girl, frowning. "I wondered if it was one of the humans in the castle, and I even suspected your little maid. I never expected Eä to cut and run, though. Did she say anything to you?"

Magus didn't speak, forcing himself to look away from the dead woman in front of him, and trying to come to terms with what had happened. Eä had thrown herself on him, had her way with him, killed his head maid and run off into the sunset. It just didn't add up. And Doreen? What did Doreen have to do with anything? As far as he could remember, the ancient mystic had been cold to the girl. Their interactions had been brief and far between, Eä staying close to him and his sister, and Doreen assisting in the experiments of-

A cold realization thrilled through him again, and he looked to Flea again. "Did you feel any surges in magic today? Close to the castle or otherwise?" Flea looked at him, perplexed.

"Not really," she said, cocking her head to the side in thought. "There was a quick flicker earlier this afternoon, but I figured it was you two lovebirds. How was I supposed to know one of you had flown the coop?" She frowned, cupping a hand to her ear and listening. After a moment, she looked up at Magus.

"Ozzie is in the cave, and he found a small band of soldiers. He resurrected a few of them, and they all told him that they'd been coming over when Eä attacked them. She was using magic again; apparently, the last thing they remember is a blinding flash of light, and then she was gone. I'd say that it sounds like her, but she hasn't used magic for months, and that odd teleportation spell she used never killed anyone before. The soldiers said that it was the flash of light that killed them. Maybe a holy spell, or something lightning-based. Do you think she had help?"

"I would think _that_ was rather obvious," Magus snarled through clenched teeth. He turned to Slash, pointing at the corpse. "Get Ozzie to clean that up when he gets back. While he's doing that, rally the men, and tell them to be ready to attack before dawn. You," he said, turning to Flea, "find the head jailer, and make sure he comes to my study. I want to talk about security. And see if there's anyone competent enough to replace him when he's dead. Maybe he'll make a better undead soldier than he does a watchman." Magus tugged irritably at his gloves, mentally going down a list of things he needed to get done. Slash and Flea stood motionless, eyes meeting for a moment before settling back on their leader.

"You don't want us to go after the girl?" Slash asked, frown furrowing his brows. Magus made a distracted gesture, and Flea stepped forward.

"Don't you want to know who helped her?" she asked. "I mean, if there's another spy in the castle-" Magus cut her off with an angry wave.

"I already know who helped her, and how she got away. She's given us the reason why she did what she did, and pursuing her would be useless, as she's now far from our reach." He looked at the two and grinned, his mystic fangs catching the torchlight, and the fire dancing in his eyes. "She even left us explicit directions. So, let's go burn some bridges, shall we?"

_

* * *

__The next day's dawn broke red upon the smoldering remains of the Guardia Bridge. Magus's army has swarmed the structure and overpowered the knights, and the great wooden beams cracked under the pressure of their attack. A final barrage of dark matter obliterated the remaining timbers, and the day was won by the mystics._

_Eä's_ _name did not come up again, although his three generals would quietly wonder what had transpired between the two that fateful day. Magus's renewed efforts on the mystic attacks had been a welcome distraction for the troops, but the generals couldn't help wondering if Magus was simply biding his time, waiting to make his move. When he summoned them for a war council, there was little surprise when he mentioned that he had been working on a new spell. The name of Lavos sounded vaguely familiar, but they trusted in Magus, and so swore their fealty to him with renewed vigor. With Magus once more dedicated to their cause, how could they lose?_

_The high morale that they had worked so hard to gain had faltered very little when a group of teenagers, led by Glenn, retook the bridge. It was bad enough when their plan to kidnap Queen Leene had fallen through, but when it was clear that the group had easily gotten through their first few lines of defense, confidence faltered. It was apparent that the troublesome frog was leading the band on a war path, Magus' castle in their sights._

_Some mystics fled, sure that the end was drawing nigh. Others remained, their confidence in Lord Magus matched by their hope that Lavos would rid the world of all humans. The generals remained because they had nowhere else to go, and because they knew that this would be the greatest, and perhaps final battle._

_In the end, Magus- their leader, the brat that they had raised to become most powerful of all the mystics, the hero they sang songs about, the mage who would lead them into a better future- failed them. The castle was less than dust; it was simply gone. And with it, their leader. Many presumed he had fallen in battle, still other thought that he continued to fight for their cause, but that the strange magic that had befallen the castle had taken them into another dimension, where, even as they spoke, their leader was dueling the band of humans. The generals wondered if he'd simply run away, off to find the girl that had left him just when he'd started to feel happy and content with his life._

_As it was, none of these things took place. Magus found himself in a land he had not dreamed he would ever see again, and he was forced to relive the events that had ripped him away from his beloved sister. As he stood staring at the sea, he realized that, once again, he was alone. His sister was nowhere to be found, and he would have to begin his search once more. The band of humans- time travelers, he realized- came to confront him, and he stood upon the snow-swept bank, gazing at them coolly. He could kill them all now, and be alone with his thoughts. Or, he could join them, and use them to continue his search. _

_His sister could be waiting for him, lost somewhere in the mists of time, as he had been. He had to protect her, beg forgiveness for being too weak to keep her safe when she needed him the most. He would do penance for what he had done, although he knew she would forgive him, no matter what. He had to believe that he would find her again, one day. He just had to build his own bridges to cross the gaps that separated them, and let the past guide his steps forward. He was the Magus. If it was his fate to die this day, so be it._

_He took out his scythe and faced the pale, sorrowful children who stood before him. Glenn gazed back, fist clenched upon the Masamune's hilt. Magus laughed, thinking of what bridges he would have to make to reach a cordial ground with the amphibian knight. He wondered if the amphibian would let him cross the gap alive. He would not bow to the knight, and he would be strong, even if it meant that this was the end. He stood on the threshold; there was no point in remaining here. There were no signs of Schala, no hint of her laughter, no lingering ghost of magic to lead him to her. She had vanished, and with her, all trace that she had ever existed at all. _

_What he failed to say, or even let himself think about, was that there was no trace of Eä, either._

_****estimated 2 more chapters. I'm working on them, I promise, although there's been a bit of plot-snarling with CC and DS!CT storyline involving Magus/Guile. After the story is complete, I'll be doing a final Author's note cleanup and general edit, and then will not touch this story again. Thanks for the patience, guys. 3**_

_**CONTENT NOTE- Also, Singing Mountain cave is based on original CT dungeon design- it was supposed to be a cave with a sun-spot, but the DS turned it into snow-fields instead****_


	29. Tying Up Loose Ends

**Before you read this, make sure you've read the last chapter. I uploaded it as 29, and then deleted an author's note chapter, which affected the numbering of the chapters that followed. So, if you don't know what happened after Eä confessed her love to Magus, you've skipped a chapter. Sorry for any confusion.**

**The Otherworlder**

**Chapter 29 The Loose Ends**

Magus was pretty damned sure that he hated group work.

Bad enough that he'd joined the group that had destroyed his castle. Bad enough that said group was comprised of wild women, teenagers, a mechanical man, and Glenn. Still bad enough that the damned princess was trying to turn him to "the light side." But working together? To look for a bloody _shell_? This was getting ludicrous.

Usually, Magus kept to himself. Other than sniping at Glenn every so often, and making sarcastic remarks when he was spoken to, he remained aloof, silently reminding himself that they were a means to an end, and, despite his utmost desire to be rid of them, steal the damned flying contraption, and then hunt the ages for his beloved sister, he resisted all homicidal tendencies. This was mostly because he knew Schala would not approve of him killing the people who had shown him mercy_._ Or whatever you could call it. He didn't ask them for their pity or their help, just use of the Epoch. They _did_ ask him for his help, and he gave it, albeit grudgingly. He knew that when all was done, he could honestly tell Schala, "See? I can play well with others."

Had he complained at his lot in fate? Well, recently? No! When the blonde insisted they return to her home era to play games in the hope that they'd win a giant doll of her deceased boyfriend, did he complain? No! When she insisted on dragging the damned thing to the top of an ice-bound mountain, encountering all kinds of monsters along the way, did he speak his mind? No! When they had a teary reunion on the cliff, did he sigh and roll his eyes? Well, yes, he did, but the moment was too sappy not to, and he'd rolled his eyes to ensure they wouldn't get glued shut in all the sweet and sugary pet names and vapid-talk the princess was spewing. Not to mention the possibility of his eyes freezing shut. Did she have to go on when the wind was howling and they were in the middle of a bloody blizzard? Honestly, he didn't understand how the redhead could enjoy any of it, but the boy was grinning like an idiot the entire way back down the mountain, so maybe Magus was missing something about the blonde that Crono saw.

So, when the damned princess declared that they needed to return to their home era once again to find a gods-cursed _shell, _Magus was sure he was entitled to a little complaint now and again. It was fine when they said they'd needed everyone they could get to look for the shell. It was fine that he'd been forced to fly in Epoch with the tin bucket and wild woman while the others made their way to this time two at a time. It was even fine that the princess had insisted that they all look for the shell together, even if they didn't fight together, because it would be more "fun." But their conversations were driving him to the point of taking the Masamune from Glenn and ending it all himself, no frog necessary.

He'd grown tired of discourse on dual and triple-techniques, and there was only so much interest he had in robotics, which seemed to be the poindexter's only two topics of interest. There was the wild woman, whose understanding of syntax was shaky at best, and the robotic man was about as interesting as a tin bucket. And there was Glenn. This meant that Magus had no one to talk to, and nothing to occupy his mind while they travelled up and down the bloody continent, looking for an elusive cave that held the remains of some mystical crustacean. Speaking with Belthasar had been a mixed bag- pleasant enough to see the old man, but disheartening to hear that the guru had seen no hide nor hair of Schala since the accident thousands of years ago.

They'd hopped continents after talking to the old man, and, much to Magus's irritation, the group decided to postpone looking for the gilded crabshell or whatever the hell it was they were after. He was still a little unsure as to how it happened, but they were suddenly trudging through the thick underbrush of Fiona's Forest. He _knew_ there was a reason he'd had this place razed to the ground. The whole place was a maze of twigs, branches, and underbrush- so bloody dense! It would be so much easier if they just destroyed the thing again and be done with it- he much preferred the dusty plains to this tangled wood.

He was also getting tired of camping out each night. He was the Magus, for god's sake! The prince of Zeal! He deserved sleeping on a mattress every once in a while; sleeping against trees can only do so much good to save your back from a rocky campsite. Well, he was going to put an end to this. Pushing Glenn out of the way, he glided up to the red head and the princess. The girl was _finally_ silent; apparently she was a little worse for wear after encountering some of the less than friendly beasts of the wood.

"If you insist on completing whatever inane side-quest we're currently doing, might I suggest that we rest for the evening? I know you think that using these consumables is cheaper than spending the night in an inn, but we're at the point where this is no longer the case." As he spoke, Marle coughed and listed to one side, still dazed from their last encounter. Lucca was staring off into space, equally inattentive to the conversation. Glenn, however, was always on the alert when it came to Magus, and he pushed his way to the front of the line, Masamune drawn and ready for blood.

"Hold thy tongue, you fiend! It is Sir Crono who leads the group, not you!" Glenn tensed for an attack, but Crono stepped between them, shaking his head. Magus tugged at his gloves, smirking over the youth's shoulder to further incense the frog. Surprisingly enough, it was the wild woman who spoke up.

"Blue-haired one right. Why we not sleep in inn? Ayla wants big meal, good skins for sleep." To punctuate this, the cave woman gave an enormous yawn, then rubbed her eyes. "Froggy man can fight after sleep, yes? So, we go to inn now." With that, Ayla turned and sashayed into the woods, clearing a path as she went. Not for the first time, Magus was secretly grateful for the woman's apparently over-sensitive hearing. After walking for a few more minutes, they came upon a road- why the hell hadn't they been walking down _that?_- and, with blissfully welcoming with windows shining gold in the gathering gloom, there sat a good sized inn. It was nestled between the trees, but Magus could faintly smell salt in the air. Had they truly traveled so far that they were that close to the sea?

As they entered the inn, the smells of cooking and drink filled their noses. Even Magus' stomach growled, though he didn't care to admit to such a thing. It had been far longer than they'd realized since they'd last had a decent meal, and the prospect of not eating the dehydrated food that came prepackaged in each shelter made their mouths water. The troupe wandered in, looking around the room to get a feel of the layout and find an available table. The many tables all had people around them; some were in groups, other strategically spaced apart for a solitary meal or drink. The stools by the bar were also full, although that lot seemed more at home with the place. These were most likely the regulars of the place, set in their ways and grown to be part of the ambient atmosphere. Ambient or not, however, it seemed like the inn was full, and that they'd have to wait to get enough seats for them all to grab a bite.

"Huh. I'd say we came at a bad time," the inventor said, peering around the room and sounding not just a little wistful. "Whatever's cooking sure smells good." The others made noises of assent, also disheartened. Magus left the group milling around the entrance and walked over to the bar, determined to make the bar keeper realize that it would be in his best interest for all of them to get a seat. If magic didn't scare the host into finding them a place to sit, perhaps threats of being eaten by Ayla would.

When he made his way over to the counter, he was surprised to find not a man at all, but two monsters and a cat. The kilwala was spinning in crazy circles, apparently polishing the wood with the napkins he clutched in his tiny paws. Farther back, a nu dreamily poured ale into a mug, the vapid grin on his face typical of his type. The orange cat, apparently the only one who was actually paying attention to the customers, sat up from its perch on top of the cask, and gave a loud meow. The kilwala stopped spinning long enough to look at the cat, and, following the cat's gaze, saw Magus standing there. It jumped in the air, its high-pitched voice excited and cheerful.

"Welcome to the ClockStop Inn! We're a bit busy at the moment, but if you wait a while our dinner crowd will clear out and we can serve you some meals. I'm afraid we're all out of rooms, too. It's the festival," the little creature said in a conspiratorial tone, "people are stopping in on their way to and from the fair."

Magus, not at all pleased with the prospect of sleeping out in the woods yet again, glowered at the little ball of white fluff. The kilwala, for his part, cowered a bit, and frantically began spinning again, apparently too nervous to sit still. The nu, who had been lazily filling the stein from the tap, languidly delivered the drink to the patron, then floated his way over to the kilwala. The cat, having watched the entire scene, jumped off the barrel and disappeared through a small flap in a back room's door.

"Hmmm?" asked the nu, his deep voice slow and somewhat sleepy sounding. "Have we seen you before? You look very familiar…" The kilwala stopped spinning, staring at Magus suspiciously.

"You're right, Nubie. He _does_ look kinda familiar. I wonder where we've seen him before. Do we know you, mister?"

"Hmmmm…." said the nu, apparently not willing to let Magus speak, "I don't think we've seen him before, Kiwi. But I think we should know him. But I don't know why…" he trailed off, scratching his tuft of green hair. The kilwala began spinning again. Apparently the little thing couldn't sit still for more than a minute, and Magus wondered how well it would spin if he sent it tumbling into a black hole with its nu friend. He smirked and fiddled with his gloves, causing several of the regulars at the bar to scoot away, trying to look small. The two hosts, however, seemed oblivious. The kilwala's nervous spinning only increased in speed, and the nu continued to blithely scratch his head.

"UAHH!"

Everyone in the establishment- Magus included- jumped at the nu's shriek. Grinning like an idiot, the thing bounded away into the back room, door swinging behind him. "Kiwi" froze, took one look at the angry expression on Magus' face, then sped through the door behind his friend. Magus, disgusted, walked back to the group, shaking his head.

"It's useless," he said, pulling up his hood and glaring at the people who had the audacity to still be eating through the entire scene. They did look rather frightened, however, and that mollified him somewhat. But really, all he wanted was a decent meal and a comfortable bed, and it looked like it had escaped him once again. The thought of spending another night in a tent with the frog and the boy gave him an eye twitch, and he raised a hand to cover his face. Maybe he would get to kill something before they set up camp.

"That was kinda weird," the princess said, and the group murmured their agreement. Lucca, fiddled with her glasses, obviously torn between the desire to get a move on and the lingering smell of the inn's food.

"Well," she said, looking around the room. "It looks like Magus has frightened a lot of the customers into a huddle in the corner. We might be able to all get a seat over there if he goes first." She waved towards a corner where a few steadfast patrons still sat eating their meals, apparently oblivious to the general upset in the room.

"But lass, if we head out now, we might get to another inn before the night is too long. We can eat as we walk so that we make better time."

Magus mentally amended his earlier thought; perhaps he could kill _someone_ before they settled down for the night. Ayla would not have any of this either, however.

"AYLA HUNGRY!" she shouted at Glenn, which succeeded in scaring three more patrons from their seats. A few more and they could comfortably have a table to themselves. As he pondered a way to remove the three remaining patrons from their coveted spots at the table Nubie came back into the room, Kiwi spinning in behind him. The nu wandered over to them, serene grin still on his face.

"We've set up a room in the back for you," he dreamily said, "If you'll just follow me…" his voice trailed off as he slowly turned and drifted back towards the back room. The kilwala looked around the room, then began spinning angrily.

"You didn't have to scare away our customers!" he grumbled. "I've got to go find everyone and apologize now!" He quickly spun off and began chattering at the guests who had squeezed themselves into a far corner in the room. Crono looked after the meandering nu, then back at the group, obviously wondering if they should follow. Ayla didn't stop to even consider thinking it over; she scampered off after the blue creature, the others following behind. Magus frowned, not sure he liked the idea of going into the back room of an inn run by monsters, but he was hungry, and they _were_ the most powerful warriors of time. Whatever surprises there might be in store, the group could handle it. Magus made sure to glower one last time at the patrons of the inn, earning him a satisfying tremor that ran through the room, and he turned to bring up the rear of the party.

The room was little more than a nook off of the kitchen, but the table was long and there was enough room to sit them all comfortably, the oversized sentient hunk of metal included. The nu meandered over to the counters and grabbed platters of food, put it on the table, then went back to gather plates for all of them. An older woman- apparently the cook- smiled at them as they took their seats, but she said nothing, as she was trying to prepare more meals for the customers out front. She paused long enough to give another enormous platter of food before she was back to the stove, cooking and stirring and generally ignoring everyone again.

"It's on the house," the nu said, smiling as he handed finished handing the plates out, and he skipped off to get drinks and utensils. Ayla, never one for forks, simply grabbed a leg of meat and bit into it. Her eyes lit up as she swallowed, and she called over to the old woman between bites.

"This good!" The old woman smiled at the wild woman, but said nothing, too intent on her spices and meats. The nu wandered over with mugs next, then pitchers of water and ale. Nadia helped him set the mugs down, and poured out drinks for the group as she tried to question the nu.

"Thank you very much for setting this supper for us," she started, handing out mugs as she filled them. "We really appreciate it. It's been a while since we've stopped for a good home-cooked meal. But we don't want to trouble you, and we'll pay for whatever damages we might have caused earlier." At this she shot Magus a glare, but he simply sipped his ale, then purposefully stabbed a piece of meat to put on his plate. Nadia sighed, apparently not willing to start a fight over his rude behavior. "Anyway, we can pay for the meal, too, especially since you went to all this trouble-"

"No, miss, it's on the house, like I said. So are the rooms, although they need some tidying before you go up there. In fact, if you don't need me…" his sentence trailed off as he walked up the serving stairs at the back of the kitchen. Lucca, alarmed at this news, put out a hand to stop the nu.

"Wait a minute! What are you talking about?" The nu stopped and turned, blinking at her. His vague expression was slightly more bemused than usual, the grin a little wider than before.

"You are the heroes of time, correct? The mistress of the house said that if ever you came, you were to eat, drink, and sleep for free. That's why she named the inn the ClockStop. She thought you would like it," The nu replied, nodding this way and that as he spoke.

Lucca lowered her hand, looking at the others. They seemed just as confused as she was. Well, all except Ayla, who was still gnawing at various hunks of meat, and Magus, whose face was white and drawn and looked rather more tense and irritable than usual. Glenn blinked, and looked over at the old woman still busy at the stove.

"Does the creature speak of you, madam?" He inquired, rising to approach her, and the others watched him as he made his way towards the kitchen counter.

"No, Glenn, he means me."

The entire party turned as one, their attention immediately back to the servant's stairs. A brown-haired woman made her way down the stairs, a faint smile on her lips. The marmalade cat from the bar trotted down behind her, and curled figure eights between her legs as she stood at the bottom of the steps. She wore plain attire- no one would think she was the mistress of the inn- and there was an air of amusement about her as she took in the curious expressions of the group. Glenn, for his part, nearly leaped out of his skin.

"E-Ea?"

The woman smiled fondly at his reaction, and looked beyond him to welcome her other guests.

"It's good to see you again, old friend. And it's nice to finally meet the rest of you. I am Areä Dinn, mistress of the ClockStop Inn. My home is your home for as long as you have need of it." At that, she bent down and lifted the tabby into her arms, then walked over to lean against the kitchen counter. The cook gave Eä a dirty look— no doubt the old woman didn't approve of cats in the kitchen—but simply finished her last dish, then carried it out of the room, leaving the warriors of time alone with the woman and her cat. Glenn, for his part, staggered into his seat.

"L-lass! The last I'd heard, you were-!" and he stopped, wincing at the memory. Eä smiled a little ruefully, leaning her head against Cyrus's body.

"Taken care of by the knights? Yes, well, we all know how well that sort of thing always goes…" she trailed off, looking at Magus. The room crackled with tension, the very air around him icy. Even the princess was shivering a little as she sat next to him, but it was difficult to tell if it was from fright or from the cold. Instead of looking at their hostess, Magus pushed back his chair, gathered up his scythe, and stormed out the back door. The group and Eä watched him go, and Eä sighed when the door thudded shut.

"Same old, same old," she said, reaching over to grab Magus's mostly untouched brew. She frowned into it, swirling the ale within. Marle was the first to speak.

"You, uh… know Magus?" Eä gave a bark of laughter and gave the princess a sideways look.

"Old boyfriend," she said, throwing back the mug to finish it off. Lucca choked on the food she'd been eating, Crono spewed out his drink, Glenn buried his face in his hands (no doubt in shame of the truth), and Nadia stared, open mouthed. Even Ayla stopped eating long enough to look confused. Robo sat blank, possibly due to some fatal error in his logic banks. Eä drained the last of the beer, then took up a pitcher to refill the mug.

"Still," she said, carefully filling her mug to the top, "thank you for that, Glenn. I'm sure it was hard not impaling him with the Masamune. God knows I was tempted often enough, though I lacked the necessary blade." Glenn said nothing, standing up and looking away. Eä forced out a laugh, and turned to the rest of the group.

"Anyway!" she said, her tone a little too cheery, "Tell me what you've been up to! How far have you gotten? Which sidequests have you gone on?" The group stared at her, agape, and she smiled apologetically, laughing a little. "Sorry, it's just that I've known about you and your quest for so long, I feel like I know you. Presumptive I suppose; forgive me. And you," she said, pointing to Chrono, "look like a little pipsqueak turned knight I knew once. Don't you think he looks like Tom, Glenn?" Glenn muttered something under his breath, but no one could figure out if it was negative or affirmative. Eä remained nonplussed, and simply took another swig of her brew.

Lucca fiddled with her glasses, staring at the older woman. "You've known about us for a long time? Is there something you should tell us?" Eä smiled sweetly, setting her mug down on the table.

"Yes, I've known about you for years, and no, there isn't anything I should or could tell you, other than what Nubie said: you're welcome to free rooms and food whenever you're in the area. All I ask in return is an update on your mission to save the world!" She laughed at their suspicious faces. "Come now. I've got to live vicariously through your accounts, so I hope you'll indulge me."

The others seemed suspicious, but Glenn walked over and sat beside her, stretching out his legs.

"What is it you'd like to know then, Lass?" he asked, filling up his plate once more. Eä smiled and leaned back, drink in hand.

"Everything."

Magus returned to the inn well after the final customers had left and the two monsters had turned down the lights to turn in for the night. He'd been wandering around outside for hours, killing everything in his path and feeling none the better for it. It was like the gods were laughing at him; every time he thought he'd caught a break and things were starting to go well, some other wrench was thrown into the cogs, and everything would shudder to a halt. Or, in this case, old memories would well up, and he'd find himself sliding backwards into the past and old thoughts best left forgotten.

He'd thought she was gone. He'd come to the conclusion when he couldn't find her anywhere, when even the damn cat as gone; that they'd both figured out a way to get back and he'd be done with it, and things would get back to normal. Hell, things had gone much better after she'd left: he'd destroyed the bridge, kidnapped the queen, he'd even almost summoned Lavos. Even though things hadn't gone according to plan, he was well on his way to achieving his goals in the long run. He just had to move on and forget the past, and think only of the future.

Which is why it was so damned inconvenient for her to show up _now_, of all times. Now that things were finally getting underway again (damned shell quest aside). Why on Earth did _she_ show up now?

When he'd run out of things to kill, and even pacing was beginning to grow tedious, he made his way towards the sound of the sea, and eventually came upon a small clearing. It was little more than an outcrop with a downed tree that overlooked the water, but the trunk had been fashioned into a serviceable seat, and he could tell without casting any spells that this was a place that _she _frequented. He'd stared at it for a bit, but in the end he sat down and took up staring at the ocean. After an hour of sitting and thinking, he felt a bit more relaxed, though he'd be damned if he would admit that _her _presence had anything to do with it.

He'd missed her. He'd gotten on without her just fine, of course, but there were still days when he'd wished she was there, if nothing else than to start a verbal spar. When she'd left, he hadn't realized how natural it had become to have her there by his side, and that in itself was irritating. And even more irritating was that seeing her again had made him happy, which could make him distracted, which could interfere with his mission to save Schala.

He would just tell her that everything and anything between them was over, no matter what. Or, he allowed himself, perhaps on hold, at least until he could get Schala back. She'd have to deal with that- after all, it was _she_ who had walked out, not him. She could be the one waiting for him now—not that _he'd_ waited for _her_ to come back.

He eventually picked his way through the dark woods, following the trail he'd blazed in his fury to get away. There were a few lights on in the guest rooms on the second floor, but the first floor seemed deserted, save for a light in the kitchen window. He made his way to the back door, and was only slightly surprised to find it unlocked. As he slipped in and started to melt into the shadows, he realized the he was not surprised that she had waited for him to return, and even less surprised to find that they were both happy to see the other- not that either would admit it, of course.

"And the mighty prince of darkness returns. And well within midnight, too. Are you slipping? Or did Glenn give you a curfew? Either way, it must be the teenagers' influence." She pointed to a seat at the table, and turned back to the stove, piling food onto a plate. She placed the plate before him, brought up two mugs, and slid into a chair across from him, sighing as she eased into a sitting position. "Cheers," she said, raising her cup in a mock toast before taking a swig. Magus, for his part, would have none of it. He glared at the plate she set before him before nudging it away. She gave an unladylike snort and set her mug down.

"I didn't cook it, if that's what you're afraid of. Miriam made it, and I just heated it up for you. Believe it or not, I have learned the art of reheating food. It only took a few years, and that woman has the patience of a saint."

He grunted in reply, but brought the plate back and began to eat. They remained silent, Magus silently working his way through the food, Eä refilling their mugs as needed. It wasn't until he'd finished and she got up to get him a second helping that he spoke to her as she handed him the plate.

"I'd figured that you'd learned a way to get back home. Because you'd disappeared so suddenly, I simply assumed that you had discovered what you had needed, and had no more use of my library." He refused to say "of me", although it as heavily implied, and he glared at her as she turned to face him, daring her to admit it. However, Eä proved unpredictable once more. He expected her to look away and start lying through her teeth; instead, she slammed down her mug, cracking it down the side. She ignored the ale that leaked out, locking eyes with him.

"What I told you that day was true, Magus. I have no place in that world anymore." Her voice was tense, and she drew in a deep breath to calm herself. She stiffly stood, threw the mug into a bin, and grabbed a towel to sop up the seeping mess. "Do you want to know why I left, Magus? What I said before I left was true; in order for you to remain the person history needed you to be, I needed to leave. You were getting soft." He glared at her.

"Good to know that history needs me to be a heartless bastard," he said, although the humor was not in his voice. She sighed, shaking her head.

"Not everything is about you, Magus. Doreen told me I needed to leave for two reasons. The first was because of you. The second… was because of me. They found a way to send me back. Same place, same time." He stilled, suddenly no longer on sure ground for argument. She didn't look at him either, which didn't help the situation, but she did continue.

So, when Doreen came to me, she offered me a choice: go back and live my teenage years as I was supposed to, or live a normal, non-interfering life here. She told me there was a possibility that I would still retain some memories of my life here if I returned to my hometown. So I'd be a twenty-three year old woman in a fifteen year old's body, or I could give it all up and be a nobody. I'd already altered the timeline enough to create an entirely new series of events, so I figured I had nothing to lose. I chose this life for multiple reasons, but one of the stipulations was that I couldn't interfere. So I left, and came here. No magic, no meddling, no Magus. Well, until you came to me, of course." She laughed at this, and turned to wash the rag out in the sink. He pondered what she'd said, although he couldn't help thinking that she was leaving something vital out.

"You told me the sacrifice you would have to make if you went back to your world," he said, and when he saw her stiffen, he knew he had found his missing information. "What did you have to give up to stay here- other than me? There was always the possibility of me coming to this inn, so there must have been something more. It's never that easy, and Doreen is not the most forgiving of creatures."

She remained tense for a moment more, then let out yet another sigh, forcing herself to relax. He noticed her white-knuckled grip on the sink, however, and wondered if he had pressed too far.

"I had to die," she said simply. She moved to get another mug, and went through the motions of filling it, not looking at him as she continued. "As it was, I was straddling both worlds. I existed in both- in flux, as it were- and the only way to fix the tear in the time and space continuum was to push me into one side or the other. Since I didn't belong to this world, they had to sever the connection I had to the other one. In short, they killed me in one world so I could live in another. I didn't realize how connected I was to the other world until I was no longer a part of it. It hurt like hell," she said as she sat across from him.

"I was out for weeks, and almost didn't make it. Nubert and Kiwi were my assigned guardians, and they nursed me back to health in this time period. When I was well enough, I asked if they'd stay on with me if I could find something we could all do. I still wanted to help you, even if I couldn't be with you anymore. And whatever they did to keep me tied to this place sucked out the last remnants of my magic." She pointed to her brown hair, all traces of green gone. "So, I figured I would set up this inn and offer free rooms and meals to the heroes of time, if ever they came calling. If not, well, I would have sent something to the three who lived here anyway as a nice neighborly gesture."

"But we did come."

"Indeed you did, and there you are, food in front of you, and a key to your bedroom beside you. Not so bad for an otherworlder, is it? Now eat your food. You look as though you've been eating travelling rations for too long."

"Hn," he said, already working on the next helping. She smiled at that, refilling his glass and running a finger down the grain of the wooden table.

"Consequently," she said, trying to keep the mood light, "one of the nasty side effects of this vulgar business is that I'm no longer invulnerable to attacks, so it would be great if you don't bring any trouble into my house. I have enough to deal with an overactive kilwala and a lethargic nu running around to deal with the things you always bring into my life."

He looked up, affronted, but relaxed when he saw her smile. His eyelids dropped lower as he pushed his plate away.

"Why don't I show you how much trouble I can be?" he growled, locking eyes with her. A wide smile stretched across her face, and she leaned forward, looking up at him through her lashes.

"Hmmm… perhaps I should let you, just so that I know what I'm getting into." She stood and made her way around the table, her eyes never leaving his. He smirked, and she tugged on his cloak, pulling him to his feet. "This way," she breathed, and led him up the stairs towards the rooms above. "I'm afraid we're a bit short staffed at the moment," she murmured as she led him down the hall, "but I assure you, I can see to any room service you need, _personally_-" he cut her off as she opened the door, and she smiled into the kiss, shutting the door with a soft click behind them.

"Lucca, I wanted to ask you something," Ea said as they finished the last of the dishes. The inventor had volunteered to KP duty, and was assisting the innkeeper with the last of the morning dishes. The princess and Chrono were out gathering wood, saying they felt they had to offer some sort of payment for the rooms. Ayla was out fishing with Glenn, and Robo proved to be an object of abject fascination for Newbie and Kiwi. Magus, as expected, was nowhere to be found. The inventor looked over, wiping down a large pot.

"About what?" the girl asked, handing the heavy container to the innkeeper before picking up a large tray.

"You're the only one who has any understanding of how the gates work and the theories behind them. I don't know if you believe my story, and frankly I don't care, but I do wonder: in the game, there were multiple endings that you could achieve, based on how many tasks you completed and how far along in the storyline you are. We know there are multiple times that you can access because of Lavos, but what about dimensions? Could each ending actually be possible alternate dimensions?"

Lucca set down the tray and tilted her head in thought, a long finger coming up to tap her chin as she thought.

"Well…" she said after a long moment, "I've been thinking about that too. So many of our decisions have been yes-no scenarios that I've wondered if they were key points in our world's timeline; rather, history is hinged upon whether or not we perform a certain action. I've wondered what would happen if we'd done something else, completed tasks in a different order, or just skipped over them altogether. Maybe there are endless multiple universes out there, tied to our own dimension at specific points in time. Maybe it's an event- like the Time Egg we used to get back Chrono- or maybe it's a person, like having Magus join our team. I don't know the answer." She picked up the platter and began to buffer it with her towel.

"All I know is that we're not really conscious of the other dimensions, only of the possibility of their existence. I don't know how you would access that other moment in time, unless…" she broke off, thinking a bit. "Unless, of course, you have a similar Time Egg. But not for crossing time at all, but for going across dimensions. Hmm…"

The two worked in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. As they piled the last of the dishes away, Lucca spoke up again.

"You said that you played a game, and that you watched us in all of our adventures. So, that suggests at least one other dimension, right?" Eä tilted her head in thought.

"Perhaps. I always thought it was more of a space thing- being from another planet- but maybe it's just a large dimensional shift." The older woman smiled and shrugged. "I suppose it doesn't really matter. All the same, it's something to think on."

They were interrupted by the arrival of the gang bursting through the back door, the industrious quiet between the two women shattering as laughter and cheerful descriptions of catching fish with bare hands (Ayla's preferred method of fishing) filling the kitchen. Eä gave a quick smile to Lucca, and the inventor nodded, ending their conversation by offering a towel to the sodden frog who trailed in behind Ayla. The rest of the afternoon was a whirlwind of laughter and busy-work, meal preparation, and talk of the group's plans. As they sat around the table that night, they discussed their options for finding the mythical rainbow shell. Eä provided as much detail as she could remember, apologizing for her shoddy memory. "A lot has happened since then," she explained. At last, they decided on a course of action, and chose to get an early start by heading out first thing in the morning.

As the others drifted off to their separate rooms, Eä remained downstairs, turning the sign to "closed" and cleaning up the dining area of the inn. She shooed Nubie and Kiwi to bed, and was putting the last of the dishes away when Magus materialized from the shadows, presumably having found his way back inside after a long night-time wandering. She smiled at him, pulling down mugs and drawing the tap before handing one to him and settling back against the bar.

"You always did have perfect timing," she said, sighing as she eased herself into a relaxing slump. "Chores are done, and I am now completely without anything to do, or anyone to amuse me." He smiled briefly at this, and sipped from his own mug. They sat in amiable silence for some time, the dim glow of candlelight making the large room seem intimate, despite it's emptiness.

"You're leaving first thing in the morning," she said eventually, refilling their cups. He took it with a gesture of thanks, nodding once.

"I figured as much. They are keen to find ways to avoid resolving our main objective." She laughed, quietly, nudging him in the shoulder.

"It's called "leveling up", or, I guess just preparatory work, in this case. Trust me, all of the preparation makes the end battle much easier." She stopped and gazed off at the far wall, her eyes lost in thought. "I'll still be worrying about all of you, though, regardless of how much you improve your skills. I wish there was some way I could help you, but…" she trailed off, shrugged helplessly, and took a long pull from her drink. Magus sighed.

"I don't think there's anything anyone can do to help, and this isn't your battle to fight. A safe place to rest far away from that god-forsaken castle is good enough for me. You've already contributed enough with the rooms and the free meals- considering how much you make with this place, it's a very generous offer." Eä scowled at him, seeing his smirk, and cuffed him lightly on the head.

"Thank you for the backhanded compliment, but we do just fine. I'm pretty sure Nubie and Kiwi rob any monsters that come too close to the inn; they always seem to have plenty of money about." She stopped, then added, softly, "So you'll come back here, when everything is done and this is all behind you?" He hesitated, no doubt measuring his words before he spoke.

"I cannot give up the search for Schala," he said at last, and he turned to look at her. "I owe her my life, and I will spend the rest of it searching for her, if needs be. Still," he said, eyes hooded, "it would be good to know that there was a place to which I could return from my searches." Eä smiled, her eyes welling up as she choked back tears. She hadn't expected him to stay, and hadn't dared to hope that he would visit. To hear this form him was probably the closest thing they would ever get to having a steady relationship, but after three years of being away from him, the thought of his return- no matter how briefly- thrilled her.

"My house is yours," she finally managed, and leaned forward to kiss him. Magus smiled, leaning down to deepen the kiss.

"Excellent," he purred as they drew apart. "In light of this fact, I believe I must request some new room arrangements from the manager of this establishment. My current chambers will not suffice for the both of us."

"Three of us," she said, pointing down. Magus followed her finger to see what she meant. "Cyrus has been sleeping on your half of the bed. You boys are going to have to learn to share."

"Oh Hell," muttered Magus, although he was thinking there were worse things to get used to.

Eä was not teary eyed when the group left, nor was she particularly sad. The group was amply supplied for their journey, and they promised to stop by again on their trip back from their quest for the shell. They all seemed in high spirits, although Nubie and Kiwi were slightly depressed at the thought of losing their new playtoy. Considering the robot's lack of emotions, Eä detected a sense of relief as Robo bid farewell to the pair and piled into the Epoch's back seat. If the thing had door locks, she was sure that he would have deployed them.

Ayla bounded into the back seat as well, eager to be off and fighting again. Lucca, Chrono, and Marle seemed less eager to go, but not unhappy. After all, the inn was less than two day's journey by foot, and faster if Lucca created a transport. Goodbyes with Glenn were a bit more bittersweet. She hugged him tightly, smiling as he once again promised that they would stop by. Magus said nothing, but he didn't need to. She smiled up at him, stood on tippy-toe, and gave him a brief peck on the cheek. He made an irritated noise in the back of his throat, probably sure that she had ruined his image, but he lingered in her embrace for a moment before turning to leave. Then they were gone, and the three innkeepers turned to go inside. As she closed the door behind her, Eä turned to look out at the clear morning sky.

She knew they would visit again, weary from their adventures, but full of stories and anecdotes, and she would look forward to each stay. She smiled, buoyed by the thought of their return, and the promise of the bright future that lay before them.

~owari~


	30. Epilogue: The Brink of Time and Beyond

The Otherworlder Epilogue: The Brink of Time and Beyond

The door thudded open, and Eä smiled as she saw the weary time travelers make their way in. She waved to them, and Crono gave a half smile as they made their way into the kitchen. Frowning, she wiped her hands and set the tankard of ale in front of Toma, and signaled to Nubert and Kiwi to take over. The nu gave her a dreamy affirmative while the kilwala piped up an additional OK in its shrill voice, but she'd already turned to hurry after the heroes. She closed the door behind her, and began drawing drinks for the group as they settled into their usual spots. They were oddly subdued; even Marle sat glumly in her seat. Eä finished setting the drinks down, then started pulling together something for the group to eat. As she set the platters down in front of them, she cocked her head in question, trying to decide who she should address first.

"Something amiss?" She poured herself a drink and sat down on a stool beside the counter. Lucca seemed most open to interrogation, so Eä focused her sights on the inventor. Lucca pushed her glasses further up on her nose, a sign that she'd been doing some serious thinking and was about to launch herself into a lengthy explanation. Eä settled back to get comfortable, as this reasoning process was highly interesting, although equally time consuming.

"Lavos created three new gates," the inventor said simply. Eä frowned, setting down her glass and titling her own head in thought.

"There were ten gates altogether, all of them located at the end of time," she said, trying to recall her memories of the game layout. "Are you saying there are more in addition to those original rips?" Lucca nodded, sipping her drink. Eä frowned a moment, tapping her chin with a finger. "Well… I guess it's possible that there were more that we were never shown. I mean, there are so many little towns and things that were left off the overworld map that it's possible they were just overlooked. I mean, the castle in the game had less than twenty rooms, but here there are over 200, not to mention all the tunnels, the out buildings, and the surrounding outposts. I'm sure it's just a data transference discrepancy." Lucca shrugged, poking at her food with a knife.

"We were about to go after him through the bucket at the end of time, but Gaspar said that something odd was going on, and we agreed to check it out. The new gates were in antiquity, our time, and in the future. What we learned… well, I think it backs up what you've been saying all along." Eä frowned, looking at the girl.

"Which is…?" she asked.

"That you're from another world," came the abrupt reply, but it was Magus, not Lucca, who replied. He winced as he spoke, as though the words were bitter on his tongue, and Eä let out a small sigh. Just that? Why on earth did he want to start that argument again? Then, she froze as realization hit her. She stumbled off her stool to stand rigid in front of him.

"Did- Did you find a way back to my homeworld?" She gasped, and she was surprised at the sudden lurch in her chest. It had been over ten years since she'd left that place, and this inn was her home now, but a part of her still yearned for the family and friends she'd left behind. Lucca's headshake left her heart with an ache, although some of the sorrow lifted from her. Eä sat back on her stool, took a deep breath, and sipped her ale.

"Alright… so what did you find?" She asked, her eyes now on Magus. To her surprise, he stood and went through the back door, no doubt to wander off into the woods and kill things to relieve whatever stress was eating away at his mind. Eä looked after him for a moment, then turned back at the rest of the group. Lucca picked up the story where she'd left off, sighing and dissecting a roll in front of her as a means of distraction.

"Well, the gates themselves led to these weird compilations of places of places we've visited from all across time. Those in and of themselves weren't so odd, because the whole area seemed in flux. It's what we saw when we defeated our shadow clones." At this, Lucca stopped and looked up at her. "Are you sure there wasn't a sequel to this game of yours?"

Eä tilted her head as she sat thinking. "Well, there were rumors that they were working on one. I mean, there was this text game that was never released in my hometown. I don't know the whole story, just that there were three characters looking for this magical item that granted wishes or something. Again, I don't remember their names, just that they were wandering around this castle. I think there were rumors that one of the characters was Magus, but again… well, they were rumors, and it was a long time ago. Sorry, I can't be more specific, it's just… a lot has happened since I was a teenager." She gave an apologetic smile, Lucca stood, turning her back on the group.

"I hate to tell you this, but based on what we saw, I'm pretty sure there was more to those rumors than mere speculations," the inventor said, hanging her head.

"What did you—" Eä started, but Lucca interrupted her, arms crossed protectively across her chest.

"Eä, we found Schala, and she's not in good shape." Eä stared at the group, mouth agape. She started to speak, but Lucca pressed on. "We also found Magus. I mean, he was in our party when we stumbled into the scene, but there was another one of him, which means-"

"Either you entered a time rip, and he was a future version… or there's another world out there, where Magus found Schala on his own." Lucca nodded as Eä's mind continued racing, trying to figure out what it all meant. Unable to grasp any tangible facts to assemble into some sort of cohesive conclusions, Eä stood herself, refilling her tankard and raising it to her lips with trembling fingers. "Janus…" she whispered under her breath, then turned to see what the group would say. "What happened?"

"She was trapped in a crystal, imprisoned on top of a Lavos spawn," answered Crono. He gripped his own drink with white knuckles, his face grim as he recalled what must have been a horrific sight. "She'd deteriorated to the point where there was very little of who she once was. We were able to wake her up long enough to hear her story, but she sent us away before we could completely free her."

"And Janus..?" Eä whispered, afraid she already knew the answer. Lucca simply shook her head, and Eä stood to leave. Without a word, she was out the door, hunting Magus down.

She found him where she'd expected to find him; leaning against the large tree that stood its ground before the cliff, the echoing sounds of the waves crashing below the only noise. She didn't say anything, she simply sat down on the log beside him, staring out at the white caps misting over the sea's surface far off in the distance. Their relationship wasn't as secure as she'd have liked it, but he didn't ask her to go, which meant something, anyway. After a time, she finally spoke, trying out the words she'd been mulling over in her head.

"I know you'll find a way to save her, Janus. This new meeting proves it. If she was too far gone, she wouldn't have been able to talk to you, or to use her powers to send you back, so maybe—" the blade of his scythe stopped her, and she sighed, reaching up to shove it away and look up at him. His crimson eyes were cold, his mouth a tight line, but he allowed her to pull him down beside her, and remained motionless in her arms as she guided his head onto her shoulder. She threaded her fingers through his hair and lightly massaged his neck, trying to ease the tension he could feel coiled beneath his skin.

After some time had passed, he eased himself away, although he remained seated on the log beside her. He stared ahead, and his voice, when he spoke, was authoritative.

"You need to get away from this place. Maybe further south, or on one of the other continents. This place is no longer safe for you." Eä stared at him, not sure what to say. Magus knew her silences well enough to understand that she didn't see the logic behind his words, and he sighed, disgusted. "They didn't tell you who we ran into in this time, did they? Eä, Dalton is here, in this time, and he's out for blood."

Eä gaped at him, at a loss for words. "_Here?_" she managed to get out, and he sighed in disgust.

"He was in one of the new gates. It appears we released him from the area after we fought him. He gave us the slip, but he mentioned Porre and an army, and he's determined to have his revenge against the kingdom of Guardia. I'm not worried about those three, because they're seasoned warriors at this point, and they can hold their own. But you, well…" He let his sentence trail off, and Eä gave a breathless laugh, shaken.

"Without magic, I'm a sitting duck," she finished for him. He nodded, and she sucked in breath, trying to steady herself. Dalton was not a person she'd want to meet alone. Dalton with an army and a determined goal was an awful thought. Sure, the man was absolutely bonkers, but he wasn't an idiot. And she'd slighted him enough in Zeal that any encounter they might have would end up with her at the mercy of his magic. She shivered at the thought, pulling her robes closer. "Where should I go?" she asked out loud, trying to think of a place where she could slip under the general's radar. To her surprise, Magus put his hand on her head.

"He'll be focused on Guardia for the most part, so as long as you stay away from Porre and keep your head out of trouble, you should be able to settle your affairs and get away as quickly as possible. Surely you can find someone else to take over your inn here. Maybe that nu and kilwala could run the business for you- at least until this mess has been sorted out."

"And you?" she asked, already knowing the answer. He shook his head.

"It would not be my battle, although I would gladly slay the buffoon," he replied. "I must find that path to Schala, and free her. I know there's a chance to save her, and I will stop at nothing until I have done so." She smiled, and rose to look down at the crashing waves below.

"I know you can do it, Janus," she said, not turning to face him, "if anyone can, it's you." She gulped back the tears she could feel welling up. It was silly, but she felt like she was saying goodbye… again. And this time it would be for good. She couldn't think of anything else to say, so she simply stood there, thinking about what she'd do without the home she'd worked so hard to build. Leaving the inn meant leaving her friends, her memories of the group's comings and goings, leaving the ramshackle house that had become a comfortable business, and as good a home as she could make. Starting anew would be difficult, to say the least. But to stay, and risk the chance of running into Dalton, that was too big a risk, even for her.

"I've heard some of the travelers talk of a collection of islands far to the south," she said. "From what I hear, they're a bit rural, but there's a town that's growing larger since they opened that new ferry, and it's tropical, which means nice weather all the time. I always wanted to live someplace where there are always flowers growing. I think I could happily grow old there in a place like that."

She jumped a little as his arms came around her, and she closed her eyes, leaning back into the embrace and taking deep breaths.

"It won't be forever," he said, murmuring in her ear, "and when those three have dealt with Dalton and all his foolishness has blown over, you can come back here. Think of it as a tropical vacation." She laughed, despite the tears in her eyes, and placed a hand over his.

"Well, you know I'll leave a window open for you," she said. "Maybe even a door, if you promise to see me more than once every few years." He chuckled at this, and turned her to face his. He brushed away the lingering wetness in her eyes, and leaned down to kiss her, briefly.

"I'll stop by as often as I can, and tell you what news I have. The gate that leads me to her could be anywhere, so I will need to travel far to search. But it is equally important to have a point of return; a home base, so to speak." She smiled, tilting her head.

"So long as you understand that it will be _my_ home base that you're returning to…" she said, tugging him down again for another kiss, "I'm fine with frequent visits."

Although she was invited to the wedding party, Eä declined, not wanting to chance stirring up old, best forgotten memories from a time long since past. Instead, she spent a quiet evening with her patrons, and chattering with her regulars, listening to gossip of news from places near and far. As of yet, there was no word of Dalton's forces had reached her ears, but rumors of a gathering band of thieves spotted in the mountains, though few and far between, troubled her. She had little ability to go after them, as she had no magic left, and her sword skills, although not terribly rusty, would be no match against an entire force of highly skilled fighters. Dalton alone gave her pause, and she desired no chance encounter with him, if she traveled south. So, she kept her head down, her hands busy, and her ears open. If ever she heard any news, she would send a message post haste to the new Guardia monarchs. It was all she could do, given the situation.

No, the night of the royal wedding and coronation found Eä with Nubert and Kiwi closing the inn late into the night, the last of the celebrating guests at last in their rooms, the fires dampened for the night, the dishes and food away until morning. The three sat in companionable silence, sharing a final drink before going to bed themselves. Eä smiled as she thought about what the happy couple and their happy future together.

Upon learning that not only would Eä _not_ attend the wedding, the older woman would not be able to force her possible boyfriend (Magus had said something rather biting as to his thoughts on that title) into coming, Nadia had kicked into high gear, and came down to bring what she could of the wedding. After being shown the wedding dress, Crono's wedding attire, informed of everything that was to be eaten, everything to be danced, and everything else to be done, Eä had laughed in delight, and thrown a large party at the inn, leaving the happy couple trying to goad Magus into smiling. Magus, having woken up to the cacophonous noise, and unable to escape, tried drinking himself into a stupor. Lucca and Eä exchanged low words, and after several quick jaunts back and forth through time, the team was once more reunited for a pre-wedding party. Eä wondered at the inventor's apparent lack of fear of wasting fuel, but Lucca shrugged it off when the innkeeper pulled her aside to ask.

"One final party, I think," the girl had said, smiling. Then she frowned, watching the others enjoying themselves. "Eä, I'm not a superstitious person. I don't believe in predestined fate, and I think that we have the power to make the future better. I truly believe that. And yet," she paused, sipping a drink. The inventor's face was solemn when she finished her thought. "I just have this feeling that-"

"Miss Dinn, you look like you're about to fall asleep."

"What?" She snapped out of her reminiscence, spilling her drink and jumping to attention. She cursed and began sopping up the drink with a napkin, and the kilwala and nu laughed.

"See, Nubie is right! Dinn should get to sleep! Leave clean up to us!" the kilwala giggled, jumping onto the table and grabbing a napkin in each hand. The little creature began to spin and dance, cleaning up the mess, and the nu tugged at Eä's sleeve.

"Get some sleep," Nubert said. "Tomorrow will be busy again, I think." Eä was about to protest, but then laughed instead, getting to her feet.

"I think you're right," she said, smiling at her furry friend's whirling cleaning antics. "I'm about to drop off where I stand, and I couldn't think of more capable hands to keep this inn in shape. Goodnight Nubert, Kiwi."

"Goodnight!" the two said in unison, and she waved a goodnight to the two of them. Still, she paused on the stairs, and the inventor's cryptic words flashed through her mind again.

"_I just have this feeling that this is the last time we'll ever be together again."_

She shook her head, trying to clear her own sense of foreboding, and continued up the stairs. She skipped most of her usual nightly ablutions and crawled into bed, more tired than she'd realized. After a few fleeting thoughts of wishing good luck to Crono and Nadia, Eä was soon asleep, and immediately dreaming.

She knew she was dreaming, which instantly put her on edge. She called these lucid dreams "visitation dreams", because inevitably someone, usually Doreen, would be using dreams to make contact, and contact with Doreen was almost always bad news. But Doreen usually haunted a clean, scientific city, and this shadowy plain was unfamiliar to her. She looked around the watery landscape, so familiar, and yet, she knew she'd never seen it before. It was the voice that called out to her that helped her figure out where she was.

"Do you love my brother?"

Eä spun to see Schala standing behind her, the princess glowing a pale white in the shifting darkness around her. Her attire was the same as Eä had last seen her, the purple robes billowing around the girl in an unseen, dark wind, but her expression was sad, and the young woman looked more tired than Eä before. Were it the shifting light, or the shadowy magic, the princess's hair grew pale and golden, then deep blue before returning to its normal pale indigo. Eä tried to stop staring, but the figure behind her was so surreal, so unexpected, it was like running into the ghost of a friend long since forgotten. With a jolt, she realized the feeling was probably close to the truth.

"S-Schala," she finally managed, walking towards the princess. The girl made no move, but Eä could not get closer, and gave up after a few stumbling steps. "Schala," Eä tried again, "I want to help you! Tell me what I can do!" The princess smiled and some of the life returned to her. Eä could see the effort in that smile, though, and the weary woman lost her smile once more.

"Do you love my brother?" she asked again, ignoring Eä's question. Eä nodded, not sure why Schala had summoned her, or how much longer the girl would be able to hold her own against the darkness that held her. "I'm glad," the princess continued when Eä nodded, and the princess gave a brief smile once more. "Janus has had such a hard life, and I'm glad to know that he has someone who will look out for him in the years to come. Watch over my brother, Eä. He will have need of it, when his adventures are finally at an end."

"He searches for you," Eä said, her mind already racing, trying to think of ways to get a message to Magus. Schala sighed, and her image flickered.

"I have already told him that there is little to gain in that effort," the princess said. "I know that will not stop him, though. That's why I've come to you for a request." Schala floated down and grasped Eä's shoulders.

"When next you meet, he will not know you," the princess began.

"What-?" Eä started, but Schala shook her head, tightening her grasp.

"He will not remember the others, he will know nothing but what he hears of the time traveling heroes; he will not know that he searches for me, simply that he searches for something, or someone. He will not know himself, for he has stripped away all that he was to let all that he could be flourish."

"I don't understand-"Eä tried again, but the princess kept going.

"That's why I'm moving you forward to the time in which he'll reappear," said the princess. "I need someone who knows who he is, and what he is to do. Without a little nudge, he will be forever wondering what it was he lost, and he'll never know how to go about getting it." Schala paused, stepping back, and pulled off her pendant to show Eä. The deep crystal sparkled, despite the lack of light, and Eä felt the power flickering off of it.

"Lucca found a girl in the forest with my pendant. She was supposed to be what I was meant to be, much like Janus's transformation. However, things are not as they should be, and I continue to grow weaker. Her own future is now compromised, and I cannot allow her to suffer the same fate as me. Eä, you must see to it that Janus finds this girl. Together, they can rework time and space to set things right again."

"But-"

"I ask this of you, and in return, I give you time," Schala said, once again ignoring Eä's attempts at interjecting. "You've been patient with the Chronopolis scientists, but what they do not understand is that time is flexible, and sometimes you can change the story's end, despite what others say. There are infinite possibilities that stretch out in all directions; all you need is a little help to return things to the desired path." The princess began to fade once more, but then refocused. She looked sorrowful, clutching the pendant to her heart.

"I know they'll succeed. And once I'm gone, the girl whom I'm meant to be will be able to live her happily ever after. And Janus- you'll be able to help him live his own happy story to its end. I'm sorry to push this task upon you, but it's necessary. You, who came from a place far from this time and space, have the unique situation in that you'll remember everything as it was, and as it becomes. I know you'll use what you learn to help those you meet."

The princess began to fade in earnest then, and only the girl's quiet voice remained.

"Eä, I'm glad that Janus has you to help him learn who he really is. I know that together, you'll both make a happy ending for yourselves. Goodbye, my little sister."

Eä gasped and sat upright, startling the old man who stood in front of her. She yelped at the sight, startling the old man and the odd monster beside him. She sat clutching at her chest, trying to regain her breath, and squinted in the bright sunlight. Sounds of rolling waves gave her pause, and a quick look confirmed that she was on a small beach, lying in the sun-kissed sand, and that there was, indeed, an old man with what looked like a dragon tagging at his heels. The old man peered at her oddly, tilting his head to the side.

"What's with kids these days, sleepin' in the oddest places, I tell you. It's dangerous to sleep out on the beach, but do they care? Nothing but a bunch of hooligans, you ask me," he grumbled, although if it was to Eä or the dragon, she was unsure. Tentatively, Eä stood, brushing sand from her clothes and looking around her.

"Where am I?" she asked, holding her head and getting the oddest sense of déjà vu. Apparently, the old man was disgusted with this answer.

"Amnesiac teenagers comin' from the ocean, I tell you!" She was now pretty sure he was complaining to the dragon. "You're on the beach, fool girl. Right outside of Termina, you are." Termina. The name sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it, and squinted in the bright sunlight as she gazed out across the ocean.

"Am I close to Guardia?" she asked, ignoring the rather snarky manner of the elderly man. He made a rude noise, which she was hoping was a bug or something flying up his nose, but she was sadly disappointed when she determined it was his version of a laugh.

"Guardia's gone, girl. Been gone for, oh, a good ten years now." He stared at her, peering up to make sure she was actually just a harmless idiot and not some evil spy in disguise. As it was, she was doing her best not to fall over in shock, and the vaguely nauseating feeling in the pit of her stomach apparently played itself across her face, for the man's suspicious glare turned into genuine concern. "You should be heading up to Termina, Lassie. See someone about that head of yours."

She must have made some noise of assent, because the old man was ambling off down the beach once more, the little dragon critter hopping behind him like a kangaroo. Eä allowed herself a few minutes to try to come to terms with what the old codger had said, and tried assimilating it into Schala's enigmatic words. _Things are not as they should be; the future is compromised._ That had to mean that Dalton, through some bizarre twist in fate, had been able to successfully dole out the revenge on the three remaining time travelers. Although he was willing to leave some things undone if it was advantageous for him, Eä was willing to bet letting those three alive was something he would not leave to fate, having learned his lesson once before.

And what did she mean, Lucca found a girl? Had Lucca been able to raise the child she'd found in the woods? Did she know who the girl was? Where was the girl now? Obviously still alive, since Schala wanted Janus to protect her. Which meant that Eä needed to get to a place where she would likely meet with him once more. While she looked for him, she could ask around to find out what had happened over ten years ago, and try to piece together the fate of her late friends. With a goal finally in place, she straightened, and headed off in the direction the old man had directed her to. Termina seemed like a good place to start, even if the name had a bit of an "ending" sound to it. She'd mourn those who were lost properly, but later, once she knew more of the details surrounding their deaths.

Termina turned out to be a port town that was bursting with activity. Eä stood at the gate, not really sure where to start looking. There was the inn, of course- travelers often ended up drifting into inns, she knew from experience, but the inn proved to be small, and it was more of a motel than a proper inn. When she asked the proprietress about getting food and drink, the woman directed her to the bar, a cozy establishment a stone's throw from the inn. Eä liked the place immediately, as it had the same ambient atmosphere she'd shared with her regulars at her own inn.

As she sat down at one of the tables, her heart twinged a little in guilt; so intent on learning about Crono, Nadia, and Lucca, and finding Magus once again, Eä had completely forgotten about Nubert and Kiwi. She wondered for a moment if the inn had been attacked, and if the two had survived. If she ever cleared everything up, she would make the trip back to the main continent and search for them. Again, something to worry about at a later time. As it was, she was here now, and she was on a mission. She flagged down a waitress, ordered a meal and a drink, and put on her sweetest smile as she turned to her first target. Let the information gathering begin.

Schala hadn't told her specifically where or when Janus would be making his appearance, but Eä was pretty sure that Termina was where she needed to be. Call it instinct or call it fate; whatever it was, within three days of her arrival in the town, the barmaid ran off with a sailor, and the owner was in a state. When Eä offered her services, he immediately hired her on. Not only was she skilled in making drinks and small talk, she could hold her own against the regulars, and wouldn't stand for the soldiers acting up. So Eä worked at the bar, dealing with the tourists, the travelers, and the regulars by day, and searching for clues and a certain wayward prince in her free time.

She'd been working at the bar for four months, and had finally pieced together more or less what had happened to Crono and Nadia, although no one could quite agree on what had happened to Lucca. Eä was beginning to think that it might be time to relocate her search when finally, one evening, an old woman came in out of the pouring rain. Accompanying her was a man whom Eä would recognize a thousand times over, and her heart skipped a beat. Elegantly garbed in white, Janus argued with the old hag- Eä vaguely remembered seeing the old woman around town, but couldn't place her- and it was all she could do to keep from running over and jumping him, regardless of all the people in the bar. As it was, she forced herself to remain calm, and- after briefly explaining to the owner that she'd spotted an old friend whom she hadn't seen in years-took a drink over to their table, setting it down in front of him.

Startled, he stopped his argument mid-sentence and stared up at her.

"I'm sorry, madam, but I didn't order this," he said politely, trying to push the drink back on her. Eä gulped, trying to steel herself. She'd spent her days playing this scene out, remembering what Schala had said, but to actually hear the lack of recognition in his voice knifed through her heart. Still, she managed a smile, gently putting her hand on his and forcing him to accept it.

"It's on the house," she said, and brusquely turned away, heading back to the bar. She could hear the old hag cackling about how Janus had won someone's heart tonight, but Janus made no reply that Eä could hear. Needing a moment, she called to the owner that she was going to take a break for a bit. He looked perplexed, as most reunions usually had both parties recognizing each other and embracing, and, of course, long discussions to catch up on old times. Still, he was a good man, and didn't press her; he just nodded and made a mental note to keep an eye on that stranger for her, in case the man departed before she returned. As for Eä, she slipped out quietly, relishing the cold and salty night air on her flushed skin.

He didn't remember her.

Schala had said as much, but it still hurt, nonetheless. And without even a hint of recognition or a suggestive manner that indicated any inkling that he had once known her. She leaned against the side of the building, at a loss. She felt cowardly for her initial reaction, but she thought it understandable, considering the situation. He was Janus- the man Janus should have become- totally free of the sorrow and terrible shadows that he'd cloaked himself in as Magus. How on earth was she supposed to convince innocent, totally unprepared Janus to go on some quest to save his older sister's double when he had no recollection of ever having a sister, let alone losing her or her double? She closed her eyes and cursed under her breath. If only Schala had given her a bit more guidance, this would have been so much easier.

"Excuse me, miss?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin to hear _that_ voice so bloody close; as it was, she gave a small shriek and sprang from the wall, hand to her heart. Janus was standing there, very apologetic and looking a bit ashamed of scaring her out of her wits.

"Y-yes?" she asked, although it was a bit more breathy than she'd meant it to come out. Part of her was still reeling, trying to assemble her thoughts, and the other part was trying to fully appreciate how very _nice_ Janus looked in white, mask and all. She hoped the two warring sections of her mind wasn't making her face contort into any odd expressions as she tried to regain her mental footing. "I'm sorry," she tried again, laughing away some of the airiness to her voice, "you just startled me, is all. What can I do for you?" He frowned, unsure of himself.

"I spoke to the man at the bar, and he said that the drink was from you," he said in a tone as though he couldn't quite believe it. "He said that you told him that I was an old friend, but after you darted out so quickly, I was wondering if there was some sort of mistake. I'm afraid I don't remember ever having a friend who looked like you." He said this apologetically, but it still stung. She tried laughing it off, waving a hand in the air.

"Well, you reminded me of someone very dear to me, but he was lost long ago. I haven't seen him in years, and seeing you come in, well, I suppose I mistook you for him. I'm sorry to have confused you, but please accept the drink as an apology for the mistake." She turned to go, silently cursing her inability to think of a good excuse to make him come to her room, where she'd try _other_ methods to try to jog his memory. She was halted, however, when he quickly put a hand on her shoulder, turning her back to him.

"Wait a moment, madam!" he said, almost frantically, "I did not mean to upset you with my inquiry. I was stunned when you came to our table, and I'm afraid I'm still not quite sure of myself. You see, when I saw you, I had the strangest sense that I'd seen you before, and that I'd known you quite well. When the barkeeper said that you thought I was an old friend, I thought you might be able to help me." He paused and ran agitated fingers through his hair, and she almost laughed at the recognizable habit. Although he'd lost his memories, he still had the same nervous ticks.

"I was shipwrecked here in Termina some time ago, and the woman you saw me with this evening nursed me back to health," he continued. "Unfortunately, much of my memory was lost with my ship, and I've been working to uncover the truth of my past. Any information you might have would be most helpful. Even if I am not this old friend of yours, it is possible that something of his tale might stir some memory within me."

He looked at her beseechingly, and Eä tilted her head to the side in thought. She knew him, and yet she didn't. This person who stood before her was achingly familiar, and yet a total stranger to her. Regardless of what she told him, there was a chance that nothing would return to him. The story- his history, really- would rely completely on belief, as she had nothing of the past as evidence of who he once was. Another thought niggled at the back of her mind, stilling her tongue: Schala had said that Magus would have no memory of his former self. She willed her clone to live a life free of the sadness she had once endured; did that mean Magus' amnesia was also a matter of his will and desire to start anew? If so, would telling him the truth go against his wishes? She sighed, closing her eyes and rubbing at her temples. After a few moments of reflection, she decided stalling would be the best action. She opened her eyes and stared up at Janus.

"I don't even know what you call yourself," she temporized, trying to see if there was some hint of anything that remained of the man she loved.

"Well," he said, somewhat taken aback by her lack of an answer, "When I couldn't remember my true name, Lady Mesmirda- the fortune teller you saw me with- calls me Guile, as she said it suits a beguiler such as myself." He gave a slight shrug at this, as though he didn't see it for himself, but wasn't going to argue. Eä smiled, liking the old woman's sass. "However, I would prefer that people call me Alf."

"As in, Alfador?" she quickly asked, although she tried to keep her face calm. She was surprised when he nodded, replying, "It was a name that I recalled during my recovery. I'm rather fond of the name." Despite herself, she laughed, and pulled out a napkin to wipe at her eyes.

"Ack, you _would_ remember that name and no one else. Very typical," she sighed, pocketing her make-shift tissue again. She smiled up at him, realizing this really was Janus as he should have been. _Just as Schala had said he would be._ A part of her was sad at this; Janus was a wonderful person, but where Janus was sweet and gallant, Magus was snarky and sometimes overbearing and challenging, but always in a fun way. She hated herself for it, but a part of her was still waiting for Magus to snap out of it and engage her in a battle of wits and words. She blinked, realizing she'd been staring at him throughout her internal assessment of him.

"So… am I correct in assuming that you _do_ believe I am this friend long since lost to you?" he asked, a silver eyebrow arching above the mask. She nodded, trying to think of something to say. To her surprise, he sighed, deflating somewhat. "I am not what you expected though, am I?" he asked softly. He looked to her for an honest answer, and she looked away, briefly shaking her head. He sighed again, and his fingers went up to his scalp again. He looked up at the stars, his next question quieter than the last. "We were very close, then?" She closed her eyes and nodded once, unable to speak. She heard him sigh once again, which made her smile, somewhat.

"The only time you ever sighed this much was when you were irritated with me," she laughed, recalling their various spats and his inevitable reaction as he grew more frustrated with her. Of course, he made her sigh often enough, too, so it really wasn't totally all her fault.

She was brought out of her reminiscences when she felt hands gently grasp her shoulders.

"I'd like to hear about those times, if you're willing to tell me," he said, peering down at her. She nodded, and he continued, a little sheepishly. "Please forgive me, however, as I must ask you for your name. I'm afraid it's a bit hazy, right now."

"Areä Dinn," she said, not even bothering to look for any recognition, "but everyone calls me-"

"Eä," he finished, and her eyebrows rose as he smiled. "As I said, things are hazy, but some names and places have more clarity than others. That I remember your name means you must have been very important to me." She could feel herself tearing up at that-damn her hormones!- but nodded again.

"We were close, but you had very important business, and you had to leave. But!" she said brightly, stepping back and forcing a cheerful smile on her face, "now that we've met once again, perhaps I can give you the final clue you need to complete your quest." She couldn't stop herself from looking to the side, and she was sure he could feel the forced happiness in her tone, but the memory of the shade of Schala beseeching her to help her little brother pushed her to continue.

"I can't fill in everything, but I can tell you as much as you want to know. Enough to help you conclude your mission. Who knows? Maybe you'll get your memory back as we talk. However," she said, motioning to the bar door with her hand, "as much as I want to sit down and tell you everything, I still need to help with the bar tonight. You're welcome to stay until we close, and I can tell you what you want to know then. Or you can meet me here tomorrow, and we can talk all day, if you'd like. I'm working the night shift tomorrow as well, so my day will be free." _Free now that I can stop looking for you,_ she thought.

"This important business, does it have a pressing deadline?" he asked, concern in his somber voice. She mulled it over, then shook her head.

"Not really. It's something you need to do, but I think time is a relative term in this situation, and doesn't really factor into it."

"Very well, then," he said, nodding his head as he made up his mind. "Although I want to hear everything you have to say, I can wait until the morning. At what time shall I seek you out?" he asked, and she shrugged, noncommittally. What she _really_ wanted to do was suggest he stay until she was off work, and they could stay up the night together getting reacquainted, then start talking once they'd woken up the following afternoon. Still, she owed it to Schala to allow her this chance to see Janus again, no matter how confused and clueless he was, and Eä felt duty-bound to get him off to save his sister as soon as possible. Seduction could come later, as a part of celebration.

"Come when you wake up, time doesn't matter," she replied. "I sleep in one of the rooms above the bar, so I'll be here whenever you want to see me. Just come in and someone will get me. I'll make some breakfast and we can eat in the back room, away from the general public."

"Very well then," he said, bowing slightly. "I will call upon you tomorrow morning. Until then, I have one question I would ask of you." She turned, already opening the door.

"What's that?" she asked, already thinking about who could cover for her if she wanted to take the entire day off, and feeling a warm glow at the prospect of spending the entire day with him tomorrow.

"What is my true name?"

She smiled, holding the door open for him. "Janus," she replied.

When she got back, the bar owner commented on how even old friends with benefits take less time to reminisce about the past that she and Janus had been outside. She'd laughed it off, blushing somewhat, and asked for use of the back room for further reminiscing. When he'd turned a slight shade of green, she felt her spirits rise even more, and promised it would just be breakfast and old childhood stories. She went back to serving the customers with renewed vigor, although she glanced to Janus' table from time to time, and smiled when he looked her way. The old woman- Lady Mesmirda- rolled her eyes at this more than once, and bullied Janus out the door. Eä was surprised to see the old woman return alone, and the lady hobbled over to the counter. Eä peered down in interest.

"Can I help you, m'mam?" she asked, wondering if the old woman was going to forbid Janus to see her the next day, and contemplating ways of getting him away from the old biddy if he was locked away somewhere safe. As it was, the old woman just laughed.

"I'm glad you'll be able to help the dear boy with his memories," she cackled, "He's a good lad, if a bit stiff around the collar. A girl like you should be able to loosen him up a bit." The old woman's smile faded then, and she pursed her lips in thought. "The thing that you desire most," she said in an odd voice, "would require that time and space themselves to be reordered. Still, with your experience, maybe all you need is the will to see it through to the end." And with that, the fortune teller turned and exited the bar. Eä watched her go, a smirk on her face.

"Good thing I'm an ex-Chronomancer with friends in extemporal places then, isn't it?" she muttered under her breath.

Eä saw the girl first. Janus had stopped in for his daily visit, this time to complain about the fortune teller sending him on some inane quest to get something out of a dragoon general's mansion. Eä had made soothing noises, although she'd stopped listening. Guile- she refused to call him Janus, as he was far too polite for either Magus or his younger self, and Alfador would have been ashamed to see his master in such a state- had decided that the pretty tale she'd woven for him was a bit too farcical to believe (_"Me? A prince from the past? The lord of the mystics?"_), and so came by to ask her for more information about his past. She wasn't sure if he was trying to find gaps in her stories and make them into lies, or if he was really just bored and wanted an excuse to get away from the fair for a bit. As it was, Eä found herself with the unanticipated feeling that she was less and less thrilled with the thought of his visit each day. She'd hoped that Schala or Doreen would get in touch with her and give her some guidance in the matter, but her nights had been irritatingly dream-free.

So when the boy and the girl came in, Eä's attention quickly slid from Guile to the newcomers. The girl was cursing under her breath, and she was wearing little more than underclothes, and Hell, she was even blonde, but the face and build were the same. Eä dropped the towel she'd been using to wipe down the counter, and interrupted Guile mid-sentence.

"Janus," she said, her voice low but insistent. When he looked at her, she nodded at the newcomers. "I think the solution to all your problems just walked in the door."

_She felt a little guilty to be so happy to see him off with this girl- Kid- and the boy –Serge- to go and save the world, but she figured Schala would understand. She hadn't told Eä that Janus- without the mystics to toughen him up and the knowledge of what true sorrow was- would become such a boring person. This made Eä wonder about her taste in men if she preferred bastards like Magus to gentlemen like Guile, but, well, no one ever said love was rationale. She was pretty sure the opposite was said, actually, though she couldn't swear by it. Anyway, Guile was gone, and off to save the world and his sister, and, hopefully, regain his memories._

_That's not to say that she never saw him again. On occasion, the "dream team" (as she liked to call them- over forty of them! Seemed a bit like overkill to her, but maybe saving the world required more people the second time around) would show up in the bar, and she'd serve them as she listened to their stories. Every so often, Guile would be with them, and he would chat with her for a bit. He never mentioned the "crazy story" she'd told him, but she had a feeling that as time went on and his adventure became even stranger, he started to reassess his initial reaction to her tale. _

And then, one day, the door opened, and it was just him. She was busy with customers, writing down orders and refilling drinks, so she flashed him a brief smile as she worked. He lifted an eyebrow at the smile, and chose a seat in the far corner of the room. When she had her customers squared away, she brought him a drink and set it down before him. It was her turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Where's the rest of the gang?" she asked, looking around the small room. "Don't tell me you managed to lose all of them." He frowned, pushing the drink away.

"I don't know what you're talking about, fool woman," he said, and his tone made her still, her smile fading.

"Guile?" she asked, "what's the matter?" He stared at her as though she'd grown another head.

"_Guile_? Is that a new pet name you've picked up in these Podunk parts? I think I prefer Idiot to Guile." He said with a snort. Eä took in a shaky breath, and forced herself to sit down before she allowed herself to let it out slowly.

"Janus?" she asked, unused to calling him that after months of using the other name. He glowered at her in response, folding his arms across his chest.

"I'm glad to see that you haven't forgotten my name during your little vacation, even if you have forgotten that it is _you,_ and not me, who drink this watered down ale." He sniffed disdainfully at the drink, as though daring her to contradict him.

"V-vacation?" she asked, not really sure what was going on. Guile was acting much like his former self- that is to say, not like Guile at all. Eä sat, dumbfounded, as the man she'd been trying to coax out of that formal fop of a man started grumbling about the sea air going straight to her head.

"Janus, I don't understand," she said desperately, interrupting him mid-sentence again. "Would you please explain what you're talking about?" He sighed, obviously irritated that she would need her hand held through this, but he stopped ranting and started explaining himself.

"Crono and Nadia had their fourth child, and we all went to the castle to see it. Lucca started asking you when _you_ would start a family, and you dashed off without answering the question. You told Nubert and Kiwi to watch the inn, and you bloody _vanished_ into one of those damned gates. So Lucca got in touch with me, and I've been looking for you everywhere." He said this in a less than happy tone, but Eä could only sit and stare at him, mouth agape.

"Janus, Dalton _killed_ everyone over 10 years ago. Guardia is gone, and Dalton built an empire in its ruins with the soldiers he trained in Porre. You've been here, amnesiac, helping your sister's clone and saving the world again by hopping back and forth through time and space-" she cut herself off, then, Schala's words coming unbidden to her.

_There are infinite possibilities that stretch out in all directions; all you need is a little help to return things to the desired path. You have the unique situation in that you'll remember everything as it was, and as it becomes._

"Holy shit," she muttered under her breath, causing Magus to frown once more.

"Please don't tell me that you don't recall any of this," he said with an edge to his voice, "because I've spent the better part of the past week looking for you, and Schala was expecting us _both_ to be there for the wedding-"

"Holy _shit,_" she said again, although weaker this time. She had a terrible suspicion that if she didn't start breathing again, she might pass out, and the world was starting to spin a bit. _Infinite possibilities…_infinite worlds and infinite dimensions. Schala had placed her in a timeline and dimension where everything ended up the way it should- with sappy "happily ever after" endings. She tried blinking away the tears that were welling up, but she couldn't –damn her hormones! Magus, seeing this onslaught of emotion, panicked a little.

"Get your things together and we'll go as soon as you're ready. We're not technically late-" he didn't get to finish his sentence, because she launched herself at him, getting chuckles from the nearby patrons.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you," she said, burying herself in his shoulder. The outfit was wrong- it was Guile's outfit- but she'd ask him about it later. There was a more pressing question on her mind, and she smiled up at him through her tears.

"What should I tell Lucca?" To this he smirked, helping her stand.

"We're working on it. What on earth have you been doing?" he asked as she sought out the barkeep. She smiled up at him, then laughed.

"Everything and nothing. You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He snorted, crossing his arms.

"I've heard your wild stories before, so you can humor me on our way back. But for now," he said, drawing her close, "let's go home."

~The End~

_Thank you for reading, everyone, and thank you for sticking with me over these many years. Eä's come a long way, and it's taken a long time to get her to this point, but I hope you've enjoyed reading about her adventures and encounters, and that you've noticed how she matured and grew. I learned a tremendous amount in writing this fanfic, but I owe a lot of that to you, my readers. Thank you all for the wonderful support and comments you've given to me throughout over the years. I only hope that you, too, will explore the infinite varieties of worlds and times that are available to us because of Squaresoft (because the internet needs more good Chrono Trigger/ Chrono Cross fanfiction!)._

_Again, many thanks to you all._

_~SirLadySketch XX 2009 _


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